Japan Ends Megaquake Alert, But Urges Continued Vigilance After 7.5 Quake

Tokyo – Japanese authorities have canceled the megaquake advisory that was issued for the country's northeastern coast. The advisory was put in place a week ago, following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake off the coast of northern Japan. Officials had warned that the initial quake raised the chances of an even larger earthquake in the region.

The lifting of the advisory means residents in the affected area are no longer advised to keep emergency supplies like helmets, shoes, and grab bags by their bedsides, or to sleep in their clothes, in anticipation of a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake.

Officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Cabinet Office explained at a joint press conference that while the probability of a megaquake has decreased somewhat, the risk has not disappeared entirely. They emphasized that residents should remain vigilant and maintain a good level of preparedness.

The megaquake advisory was initially issued last Monday after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture on Japan’s main island of Honshu, and just south of Hokkaido. The quake caused minor damage in the region.

According to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the earthquake resulted in over 40 minor injuries and damage to dozens of homes. While tsunami alerts and advisories were issued and waves of up to 70 centimeters (approximately 27 inches) were recorded in some areas, no tsunami-related damage was reported.

Authorities noted that municipalities and residents responded calmly to the advisory without any signs of panic.

In contrast, the first-ever “Nankai Trough” megaquake advisory, issued in the summer of 2024 for the southern half of Japan’s Pacific coastline, caused panic buying of emergency supplies, event cancellations, and business closures because of the ambiguous nature of the warning.