June 25, 2026

An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.

Japan's government has set up an emergency team to gather information on the quake in the Tohoku region and is ready for disaster relief operations, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters.

The epicentre of the quake, which was about 50 km (30 miles) deep, was off the coast of Iwate prefecture, and no tsunami damage was expected, except for slight sea level changes, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

On the Japanese 0-7 intensity scale, the hardest-hit area was Aomori prefecture at 6-plus, a level defined as making it impossible to remain standing or to move without crawling.