The tsunami warning was declared this Friday (December 12, 2025) by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) in the north of the country after a magnitude 6.7 earthquake was lifted about two and a half hours after it was triggered and after waves of tens of centimeters were observed in several ports in the affected areas.
The JMA issued a tsunami warning of up to one meter due to the earthquake, which struck at 11:44 a.m. local time (2:44 GMT) with a hypocenter 20 kilometers deep in the sea off the coast of Aomori Prefecture in the northeast of the archipelago.
Just over an hour later, waves of about 20 centimeters were observed in the town of Erimo on the island of Hokkaido, the northernmost island in the archipelago; as well as a similar height at Hachinohe Port in Aomori Prefecture.
This city was the most affected by the strong earthquake of magnitude 7.5 that occurred in the same area last Monday evening (08/12/2025), in which at least 33 people were injured and as a result of which a more serious tsunami warning was declared, which ended without major incidents.
The earthquake at that time reached the upper level 6 on the Japanese seismic scale, with emphasis on measuring the unrest on the surface and the destructive potential of the quake, while in the case of this Friday it was observed up to level 4.
Seismic activity “remains active”
Director of the JMA’s Earthquake and Tsunami Observation Department, Shinji Kiyomoto, said in an appearance after the earthquake that “seismic activity remains active” in the area and urged the public to exercise caution.
Over the next two hours, several tremors of various types occurred in the area, including two with a magnitude of 4.5, one with a magnitude of 4.3 and another with a magnitude of 5.7, according to agency records.
The expert noted that today’s earthquake is not related to the special mega-earthquake warning activated after Monday’s quake, an exceptional warning that has not been issued since the summer of 2024 after another strong earthquake in a different area and considers the possibility of an earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher.
So far, no damage to property or people has been reported, nor any anomalies at nuclear power plants in the affected regions, although the phenomenon has caused some delays in Shinkansen high-speed train services.
Japan lies on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most active seismic zones in the world, and is hit by earthquakes relatively frequently. Therefore, the country’s infrastructure is specifically designed to withstand vibrations.
CP (efe, afp)
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