Japan lifted a tsunami advisory on Friday after a powerful earthquake of 6.7 magnitude struck earlier in the day triggering evacuation orders in some places in Pacific-facing coastal regions.
The quake struck 70 miles northeast of the town of Hachinohe in Aomori prefecture, at a shallow depth of 6 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami advisory of up to 0.2 meters, or 0.66 feet, for regions on its main island of Honshu and in the northernmost Hokkaido region.
Sendai city in the northeastern prefecture of Miyagi issued an evacuation order, public broadcaster NHK reported, and officials urged people living near the coast and rivers close to the sea to head toward inland areas.
Tohoku Electric Power Company said no abnormalities have been detected at the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori, or at the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Several hours after the quake struck, NHK reported that all tsunami advisories had been lifted.
Mega-Quake Warning
There have been numerous aftershocks in the area off northeast Japan since a 7.6 magnitude quake struck offshore on December 8. That quake triggered tsunami warnings for coastal areas across northeast Japan. At least 20 people were injured and tens of thousands were evacuated from the tsunami warning zones. Tsunamis of up to 27 inches high were observed at several places, the JMA said, but there were no reports of major damage.
In response to the 7.6 temblor, the JMA for the first time issued a warning of a higher than usual possibility of a mega-quake in northern Japan.
The government created the mega-quake alert in December 2022 based on historical records of major subsequent quakes occurring along the Japan and Chishima Trenches following magnitude 7 earthquakes.
“If a M7.0 or greater earthquake occurs in or around the probable source region of megaquakes along the Japan and Chishima Trenches, the possibility of a large earthquake is considered to be relatively high,” the JMA said, while adding that the probability of such a quake striking was about one in 100.
People were advised to check evacuation routes, prepare emergency kits, secure home furniture and ensure backup food, water and portable toilets.
Officials are stressing that no evacuation recommendation has been issued but they advise people to remain vigilant in the coming days.
The Cabinet Office's director for disaster management, Morikubo Tsukasa, told a news conference that global earthquake data suggests there is a possibility, not a prediction, of a larger tremor to come, NHK reported.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck in the same area, about 67 miles northeast of Kuji, on Wednesday, rattling coastal communities. The Wednesday quake did not trigger a tsunami alert, and there were no reports of serious damage or injuries.
Update 12/12/25, 3:05 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include more information.