Magnitude 7.5 Earthquake Strikes Northeastern Japan, Injures 30 and Triggers Tsunami Waves

Tokyo, December 9, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck northeastern Japan late Monday night, injuring 30 people and generating tsunami waves that reached up to 70 centimetres along the Pacific coast, according to the Japanese government.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture at a depth of 54 kilometres. The agency warned that another earthquake of similar or stronger magnitude could occur in the same area in the coming days.

It is the first time the agency has issued this type of alert for the coastal regions of Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast, which covers Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures, Kyodo News reported.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to remain alert to information from local governments and the weather agency over the next week and to prepare for another possible quake, including securing household furniture.

“The government asks residents to continue social and economic activities while maintaining a readiness to evacuate immediately if any shaking is felt,” Takaichi said Tuesday in Tokyo.

Injuries were reported in Aomori Prefecture and Hokkaido.

The quake occurred in an area along a trench off the coast of Hokkaido and northeastern Japan, where major seismic activity can occur as the Pacific plate subducts beneath Honshu, the agency noted.

The agency, which revised the magnitude from an earlier 7.6, issued a warning for tsunami waves of up to 3 metres. The highest observed wave reached 70 centimetres in Iwate Prefecture.