M5.5 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Aomori and Iwate Prefectures; No Tsunami Threat

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:10 JST, December 21, 2025

An earthquake with its epicenter east of Aomori Prefecture occurred around 10:29 a.m. on Sunday, registering a 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, and the town of Karumai, Iwate Prefecture.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, there is no tsunami threat from this earthquake. The focus is estimated to be at a depth of about 50 kilometers, and the magnitude is estimated at 5.5.