Over 1,000 Earthquakes in Less than Two Weeks Shake Japan’s Southern Tokara Islands

More than 1,000 earthquakes have shaken the Tokara Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture since June 21, in a continued period of seismic activity. Most have been minor, but July 3 in particular saw larger tremors, with level 6 lower on the seismic intensity scale recorded among a series of quakes from 4:13 in the afternoon on the island of Akusekijima. There were also 3 tremors of level 5 lower, 24 of level 4, and 69 of level 3 through the day until five o’clock in the afternoon.

The Tokara Islands lie between Yakushima and Amami Ōshima in the waters south of mainland Kagoshima Prefecture. The seven inhabited and five uninhabited islands are administratively part of the village of Toshima.

Kyūshū and the Tokara Islands are located where the Philippine Sea Plate is subducted under the Eurasian Plate, leading to considerable seismic activity in the area. In December 2021, there were 308 earthquakes of seismic intensity 1 or more (maximum 5 upper), and in September 2023, there were 346 (maximum 4).

This year, there have been more tremors over a short period. In the past, this kind of seismic activity has lasted for up to a month, and the Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory urges the public to stay alert.

Data Sources

• Earthquake data (Japanese) from Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory.
• Earthquake data from Japan Meteorological Agency.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Akusekijima in the Tokara Islands. © Pixta.)