General News

Kagoshima Island to Evacuate More Residents After Strong Quake; Meteorological Agency Stresses Importance of Preparation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:06 JST, July 5, 2025

A strong earthquake measuring upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 hit Akusekijima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture on Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake with an estimated magnitude of 5.4 occurred around the Tokara Islands, which includes Akusekijima, in the prefecture at 6:29 a.m. The focus was under the sea at a depth of about 19 kilometers, and no tsunami was observed, the agency said.

Between June 21 and Saturday at 7 a.m., a total of 1,303 earthquakes measuring 1 or stronger on the Japanese seismic intensity scale have been recorded in the area.

On Thursday, an earthquake measuring lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale struck the island.

At a press conference on Saturday morning, an official of the agency urged people to be on alert for earthquakes of a similar scale as Saturday’s.

The agency also dismissed rumors about a possible major earthquake in July, stating that it is difficult to predict the date, location and scale of earthquakes under current scientific knowledge. “We want the public to be prepared for earthquakes at all times as they can occur any time in Japan,” the official said.

Toshima Mayor Genichiro Kubo said Saturday he would conduct the second round of evacuation for island residents. They will leave the island on a village-operated ferry for Kagoshima City on Sunday morning. The number of residents wishing to evacuate the island is increasing, and at least 20 people were expected to evacuate Sunday.

On Friday, 13 people of eight households on the island aged 0 to 80 evacuated to the city.