Japan Data

Major Earthquakes in Japan Since 2011

Society Disaster

Over the years since the March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake disaster, Japan has had more than 30 major earthquakes measuring lower 6 or higher on the country’s seismic intensity scale.

At 4:10 in the afternoon of January 1, 2024, an earthquake centered on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture caused shaking of level 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in the town of Shika. The Japan Meteorological Agency announced soon afterward that the hypocenter was shallow, and the temblor had an estimated magnitude of 7.6. Tsunami waves 1.2 meters high were recorded at Wajima, and a major tsunami warning was issued for the Noto Peninsula.

Earthquakes of Lower 6 Intensity or Above Since the Great East Japan Earthquake

Date (Time) Hypocenter Magnitude Seismic Intensity
January 1, 2024 (16:10) Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture 7.6 7
May 5, 2023 (14:42) Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture 6.5 Upper 6
June 19, 2022 (15:08) Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture 5.2 Lower 6
March 16, 2022 (23:36) Off Fukushima Prefecture 7.3 Upper 6
Feb 13, 2021 (23:07) Off Fukushima Prefecture 7.3 Upper 6
June 18, 2019 (22:22) Off Yamagata Prefecture 6.7 Upper 6
Feb 21, 2019 (21:22) Central/eastern Iburi, Hokkaidō 5.8 Lower 6
Jan 3, 2019 (18:10) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 5.1 Lower 6
Sep 6, 2018 (3:07) Central/eastern Iburi, Hokkaidō 6.7 7
June 18, 2018 (7:58) Northern Osaka Prefecture 6.1 Lower 6
Dec 28, 2016 (21:38) Northern Ibaraki Prefecture 6.3 Lower 6
Oct 21, 2016 (14:07) Central Tottori Prefecture 6.6 Lower 6
June 16, 2016 (14:21) Uchiura Bay, off southwestern Hokkaidō 5.3 Lower 6
April 16, 2016 (9:48) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 5.4 Lower 6
April 16, 2016 (3:55) Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture 5.8 Upper 6
April 16, 2016 (1:45) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 5.9 Lower 6
April 16, 2016 (1:25) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 7.3 7
April 15, 2016 (3:46) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 6.4 Upper 6
April 14, 2016 (22:07) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 5.8 Lower 6
April 14, 2016 (21:26) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture 6.5 7
Nov 22, 2014 (22:08) Northern Nagano Prefecture 6.7 Lower 6
April 13, 2013 (5:33) Near Awajishima, Hyōgo Prefecture 6.3 Lower 6
April 12, 2011 (14:07) Central Fukushima Prefecture 6.4 Lower 6
April 11, 2011 (17:16) Eastern Fukushima Prefecture 7.0 Lower 6
April 7, 2011 (23:32) Off Miyagi Prefecture 7.2 Upper 6
March 15, 2011 (22:31) Eastern Shizuoka Prefecture 6.4 Upper 6
March 12, 2011 (5:42) Northern Nagano Prefecture 5.3 Lower 6
March 12, 2011 (4:31) Northern Nagano Prefecture 5.9 Lower 6
March 12, 2011 (3:59) Northern Nagano Prefecture 6.7 Upper 6
March 11, 2011 (15:15) Off Ibaraki Prefecture 7.6 Upper 6
March 11, 2011 (14:46) Off Sanriku area 9.0 7

Created by Nippon.com based on data from the Japan Meteorological Association. Yellow highlighting indicates temblors connected with the Great East Japan Earthquake, green highlighting the Kumamoto Earthquakes.

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo: A collapsed building in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. Taken on the morning of January 2, 2024, following the previous day’s major earthquake. © Jiji.)

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