TOKYO: Japan issued a special advisory on Monday warning of an increased risk of earthquakes at magnitude 8.0 or stronger, after a powerful jolt rattled the country’s north and prompted a tsunami warning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s advisory came a few hours after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in Pacific waters off northern Iwate prefecture at 4:53 pm. The jolt was so intense that it shook large buildings in the capital Tokyo, hundreds of kilometres (miles) from the epicentre.
The meteorological agency said that “the likelihood of a new, huge earthquake occurring is relatively higher than during normal times”. Municipalities in the affected region issued non-compulsory evacuation directives to more than 182,000 residents, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Around 40 minutes after the quake, an 80-centimetre (31-inch) tsunami wave hit a port in Kuji in Iwate, according to the weather agency, which which had initially estimated the magnitude at 7.4 before revising it upwards. The agency said the later advisory about another possible earthquake only reflected an elevated risk, rather than providing any specific predictions.
“Although the probability is low, there is a possibility of another major earthquake occurring; therefore, please review your earthquake preparedness measures in these areas,” it said in a statement. By the evening, authorities slightly downgraded the tsunami warning but kept an advisory for possible waves up to one metre (3.3 feet) along the vast northeastern Pacific coast.
Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2026
