Japanese Public Urged to Stay Vigilant after Quake Advisory Ends

Tokyo, Dec. 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government on Tuesday called on people to remain prepared for a possible major earthquake and tsunami although the Japan Meteorological Agency's week-long advisory for a potential megaquake in northern and northeastern Japan expired at the end of Monday.

Following a powerful earthquake that struck off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture, part of the Tohoku northeastern region, on Dec. 8, the agency issued what it calls a subsequent quake advisory warning of a possible further quake off Hokkaido and the Sanriku region from northern to northeastern Japan.

The Dec. 8 temblor registered upper 6, the second-highest level on Japan's seismic intensity scale, in the Aomori city of Hachinohe, and tsunamis of up to 70 centimeters were observed in many coastal sites.

"Although the period of special preparations, such as staying ready to evacuate immediately, has ended, we hope people will remain prepared as much as possible for a major quake that could occur at any time," Yosuke Igarashi, a planning official at the Cabinet Office, said at a press conference.

Regarding the public reaction to the first-ever announcement of the subsequent quake advisory since the December 2022 introduction of the system, Igarashi said, "People generally accepted it calmly without much confusion."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]