Japan on alert: Tsunami warning issued after powerful 7.6 earthquake

Japan has issued a tsunami warning after being hit by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Monday, December 8, 2025.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS,) the earthquake, which struck around 44 miles off the coast of the country, could trigger a tsunami reaching up to 10 feet in height.

CNN correspondents in Japan reported that the tremors were felt for longer than 30 seconds.

The Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) has revealed that an initial 16-inch tsunami height has already been recorded. The high waves are expected across coastline areas, including Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said, “Hazardous tsunami waves from the Hokkaido earthquake are possible within 1,000km (620 miles) of the epicenter along the coasts of Japan and Russia”.

The government has set up an emergency task force to assess the extent of damage. 

In a brief statement, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said, "We are putting people's life first and doing everything we can."

Japan Railways suspended its services in the region. The country's official broadcast NHK reports that safety checks were being carried out at the nuclear plants in affected areas, adding, "There are no immediate signs of problem". 

It was not immediately clear if the populated areas has sustained damage. Staff at a hotel in Aomori told NHK that multiple people were injured. Thousands have been left without power.

On Japan's 1-7 scale of seismic activity, the tremor was registered as "upper 6" in Aomori perfecture, meaning that it was so intense to make standing impossible or move without crawling.

Japan is no stranger to earthquakes as it lies in an area of intense seismic and volcanic activity, known as the Ring of Fire. 

The country suffered its worst earthquake in 2011 when a magnitude 9.1 earthquake shook the country, resulting in at least 20,000 deaths and missing persons.