M6.0 earthquake in Japan on December 31, 2025

On December 31, 2025 at 14:26 UTC the ground shook with a magnitude 6.0 earthquake. The epicenter was 96 km east of Noda, with the focus 27 km deep. It was a shallow quake, and shallow quakes are usually felt most strongly at the surface.

6.0magnitude
27 kmdepth
14:26time UTC
greenUSGS alert
Live earthquake map →

Key facts

2 people reported feeling it to USGS. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert, expecting little impact.

Nearest cities

  • Ōshū (Japan)187 km
  • Ichinoseki (Japan)205 km
  • Hirosaki (Japan)216 km
  • Ishinomaki (Japan)236 km
  • Ōsaki (Japan)240 km

Did you feel an earthquake?

Report it to seismologists. These reports help work out quickly where the shaking was strongest. It takes a minute.

Report to USGS (Did You Feel It?)Report to EMSC (LastQuake)

Aftershocks

Since then USGS has recorded 119 quakes of magnitude 4.5 or more within 150 km, the strongest M7.4.

  • M7.4 · Apr 20, 07:52 UTC19 km
  • M6.9 · Jun 24, 22:30 UTC67 km
  • M6.7 · May 15, 11:22 UTC148 km
  • M6.5 · Mar 26, 14:18 UTC84 km
  • M6.0 · Jul 1, 12:08 UTC44 km
  • M6.0 · Apr 20, 07:56 UTC41 km
  • M5.8 · Jun 27, 20:21 UTC47 km
  • M5.8 · Mar 8, 13:17 UTC76 km

Regional history

Since 1976 there have been 177 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more within 300 km. The strongest was M9.1 (March 11, 2011).

  • M9.1 · March 11, 2011208 km
  • M8.2 · September 25, 2003206 km
  • M7.8 · December 28, 199461 km
  • M7.7 · June 12, 1978228 km
  • M7.7 · March 11, 2011269 km

See also

Live earthquake mapAll earthquakes todayEarthquakes in JapanWeather in ŌshūEvent details at USGS

Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program (public domain). Seismologists may still revise the data. Data from Apr 1, 22:48 UTC.