Japan has issued its first-ever special mega earthquake warning following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Monday night, but it has not confirmed whether such a mega quake will actually occur.
Japan experienced a strong earthquake at approximately 11:15 p.m. local time on Monday, 8 Dec 2025. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) downgraded the earthquake's magnitude to 7.5 from the initial 7.6 and revised the focal depth to 54 km from the previously estimated 50 km.
At 1:00 a.m. local time, six people were reported injured in Aomori Prefecture, with injuries resulting from falls or objects falling inside their homes.
Earlier, Japanese authorities issued a tsunami warning for Iwate Prefecture and parts of Hokkaido and Aomori. Tsunami waves measuring 70 cm were recorded at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture, 50 cm in Urakawa town, and 40 cm at Mutsuokawara Port in Aomori Prefecture.
About three hours after the earthquake, Japanese authorities downgraded the tsunami warning to an advisory, which remained in effect for parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima Prefectures. Residents were still advised to stay away from coastlines and river mouths.
Officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency also issued a warning about a potential special large earthquake (Mega Quake) that could follow Monday's event. It is expected that such a mega quake could trigger tsunamis along the Pacific coast of Japan, from Hokkaido down to Chiba Prefecture.
Authorities are urging the public to review evacuation routes, prepare emergency kits, secure household furniture, and stockpile food, water, and portable sanitation in case of urgent evacuation. Residents along the Pacific coast are advised to remain vigilant throughout the week, even though no evacuation orders have been issued.
This marks the first-ever Mega Quake warning issued since this type of alert was introduced in 2022.
Tsukasa Morikubo, an official from the Cabinet Office's Disaster Preparedness Division, held a press briefing about the potential occurrence of a special large earthquake.
“Based on global earthquake statistics so far, there is a possibility of a large earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher occurring along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench off the coast of Hokkaido,” Morikubo said.
“Although it is still uncertain whether a large earthquake will occur, everyone should follow the recommendations and take precautions to protect their lives.”
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Source:NHK