PM Takaichi announces over 30 injured after northern Japan quake

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck northern Japan during the night of December 8, leaving at least 30 people injured with varying degrees of severity.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi briefed the media on the situation, noting that, so far, there are no reported fatalities or missing persons. “We would like people to continue their normal daily lives, but be prepared for immediate evacuation in the event of strong aftershocks,” she said, adding that vigilance should be maintained throughout the coming week.

Tsunami advisories were issued for parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures. NHK reported waves reaching up to 70 centimetres at Kuji Port in Iwate, with smaller waves of 50 centimetres in Urakawa Town, Hokkaido, and 40 centimetres at Mutsuogawara in Aomori. The advisories were lifted within hours.

The tremor caused visible damage, including cracks in roads, isolated fires, and at least one vehicle falling into a road cavity, according to local authorities. Approximately 2,700 households in Aomori experienced power outages, though Kyodo News reported that fewer than 40 remained without electricity by Tuesday morning.

Rail services were disrupted, with East Japan Railway Company suspending Tohoku Shinkansen operations between Morioka and Shin-Aomori to inspect the tracks. The company aimed to resume service by 3:00 p.m. local time. Major airlines, including All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, confirmed that flights were operating normally.

In response to the quake, the government established a task force at the prime minister’s office. NHK reported that PM Takaichi instructed agencies to “immediately provide information on any tsunami and evacuation orders,” quickly assess damages, and implement “thorough measures to prevent harm.”

No irregularities were reported at the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori or at the Onagawa plant in neighbouring Miyagi, according to operator Tohoku Electric Power.

Japan, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences roughly 1,500 earthquakes annually. The country continues to recover from the 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, which claimed 18,500 lives and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Earlier this year, a government panel increased the projected probability of a major Nankai Trough earthquake occurring within the next 30 years to between 75% and 82%. A March assessment warned that such a “megaquake” and accompanying tsunami could result in up to 298,000 deaths and $2 trillion in damages.

By Tamilla Hasanova