Earthquakes in Northern Japan Leave 30 Injured, Disrupt Water and Power Supplies

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:53 JST, December 9, 2025

A strong earthquake measuring upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 hit Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, around 11:15 p.m. on Monday. The quake had an estimated magnitude of 7.5 and struck off the prefecture’s east coast. The quake’s focus was under the sea at a depth of 54 kilometers, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Tsunami warnings and advisories were initially issued for the Pacific coast of Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, among other areas, but these were later lifted. A 70-centimeter wave was observed in Kuji, Iwate Prefecture.

An earthquake measuring 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale was observed in Hachinohe, Morioka and other areas at around 6:52 a.m. Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday morning that 30 injuries and one residential fire had been confirmed.

In the town of Tohoku, Aomori Prefecture, a roughly four-meter stretch of road collapsed beneath a vehicle. A man in his 50s who was driving the vehicle was injured. People were also reported to have been injured from falls and from blows to the head from falling objects.

Up to 8,082 people sought refuge at evacuation facilities across 75 municipalities in Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun tally as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Tohoku Shinkansen suspended operations between Morioka and Shin-Aomori stations from the first train Tuesday. Trips restarted at Tuesday afternoon.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been found at Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.’s spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture. Although some water leaked from an on-site pool, where spent fuel are kept, the water level remained within the normal range, and there was no threat to safety.

Additionally, no abnormalities were detected at Tohoku Electric Power Co.’s Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture or its Onagawa nuclear plant in Miyagi Prefecture, at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.’s Tomari nuclear plant in Hokkaido or at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture.

Infrastructure providing electricity and water was also affected. According to Hokkaido Electric Power, power was shut off to cables capable of carrying 600,000 kilowatts between Hokkaido and Honshu, leaving only cables capable of transmitting 300,000 kilowatts between the two areas still in operation. From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, people were using 85% of the total power capacity in Hokkaido with no supply disruptions reported, the company said.

Tohoku Electric Power Network Co. reported that outages affected up to 10,886 households in Aomori and Iwate prefectures from late Monday but that power was mostly restored by Tuesday morning.

Damage to water pipes and water pipe bridges was also reported. The water supply was cut off at as many as around 1,360 households in Shichinohe and Hashikami in Aomori Prefecture as well as in Karumai in Iwate Prefecture, according to the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry.

The quake also disrupted transportation. Flights were delayed or canceled at New Chitose Airport in Chitose, Hokkaido, due to the quake and snowfall on Monday, leaving about 200 people stranded at the airport.

Takaichi: Prepare to evacuate

Takaichi said Tuesday morning the public should stay on alert for about a week as a warning had been issued about subsequent, stronger quakes off the coast of Hokkaido and the Sanriku area.

“I would like to ask the public to continue socioeconomic activities while preparing for immediate evacuation in case an earthquake strikes,” Takaichi said at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Late on Monday, immediately after the first quake, Takaichi set up a taskforce at the crisis management center of the Prime Minister’s Office. She then received reports at the office on the extent of the damage and ordered rescue and relief operations, placing a top priority on people’s safety.

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