Latest Earthquake in Japan, History, and Mitigation

Every year, thousands of earthquakes shake Japan because it lies in extremely active subduction zones. Many destructive earthquakes have struck the country in the last century. However, the latest earthquake in Japan was not as catastrophic as before.

Despite these small earthquakes, it does not mean the country has no potential to be hit by a destructive one. Therefore, the Japanese government applies various mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of this disaster.

An Overview of the Latest Earthquake in Japan 

From mid-April to mid-May 2025, around 60 earthquakes shook various regions in Japan. Most of those quakes have small magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 3 magnitudes. In addition, their maximum seismic intensity is only 1 MMI.

Therefore, only a few people felt the shake of those earthquakes. Moreover, they didn’t steer panic reactions from people affected by these quakes. 

The biggest earthquake in the last month had a magnitude of 5.7. The quake occurred near the Ogasawara Islands on 13 May. Despite its moderate magnitude, this earthquake’s maximum seismic intensity is only 2 MMI. 

Therefore, it did not cause any damage to earthquake-resilient constructions in this country. One of the factors causing the low intensity is the long distance between the epicenter and Japan’s main islands. The distance is around 1,000 km.

Meanwhile, the earthquake with the strongest intensity in the last month is 4 MMI. The latest earthquake in Japan with 4 MMI occurred on 15 May. This disaster had a magnitude of 4.5 and hit the Central Tokachi region and its surrounding areas.

5 Latest and Most Destructive Earthquakes in Japan’s History

During the earthquakes above, Japanese people remained calm and stayed at their places. They are accustomed to small to moderate earthquakes. In addition, they are trained to face destructive earthquakes. Japan’s history shows that massive earthquakes have hit the country many times.

Below are Japan’s most destructive earthquakes in the last few decades.

1. Tohoku Earthquake, 2011

In March 2011, the most damaging earthquake in Japan history occurred. This catastrophe is as strong as the 2004 Sumatra earthquake. Moreover, its intensity is 11 MMI. The shake resulting from this disaster was extremely destructive.

It damaged a nuclear reactor and more than 120,000 houses. Moreover, it caused over 19,000 death tolls and more than 2,500 people missing. The violent earthquake also triggered a 40-m tall tsunami.

2. Kuril Islands Earthquake, 2006

In November 2006, an 8.4-magnitude earthquake hit some areas in Japan. The epicenter of this quake is in the Kuril Islands. Despite its powerful magnitude, this natural disaster did not raise death tolls or injure any people in Japan. 

However, this earthquake produced a tsunami. The deathly waves swept away many coastal areas along the Pacific. In Hawaii, this tsunami killed one person. 

3. Tokachi Earthquake, 2003

Tokachi in Hokkaido prefecture was hit by a strong earthquake in September 2003. The magnitude of this disaster is almost similar to the Kuril Islands earthquake in 2006. However, its intensity reached 9 MMI.

Due to this strong intensity, the quake killed one person and caused two people missing. In addition, it injured more than 850 people in Hokkaido.

4. Great Hanshin Earthquake, 1995

The latest earthquake in Japan with 12 MMI occurred in Hanshin in Hyogo prefecture. This earthquake’s intensity is higher than that of the Tohoku Earthquake. However, the magnitude of this quake was only 6.9. This catastrophe killed over 6,600 people and injured more than 43,000 people.

5. Noto Earthquake, 2024

About a year ago, an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale and 11 MMI shook Noto in Ishikawa prefecture. Therefore, the Noto Earthquake in Japan effects were serious. Over 500 people were killed during this hazard.

Earthquake Mitigation in Japan

The latest big earthquake in Japan indicates that other catastrophic earthquakes will happen someday. Therefore, the government adopts various mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of this disaster. What are those strategies?

• Build Resilient Constructions: Earthquake-resilient constructions will not suffer from serious damage when they are shaken by a quake. They typically adopt various construction systems, such as the seismic isolation system.

• Community Preparedness: Japan has various programs to help its people be prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis. Examples of those programs are regular evacuation drills and earthquake education in schools.

• Wireless Warning System: Japan has the most advanced wireless warning system for broadcasting earthquake alerts to its people. Authorities will disseminate those alerts minutes or seconds before the hazard. Therefore, alert recipients can take emergency action to save themselves.

The latest earthquake in Japan may not be as powerful as before. However, the country keeps improving its earthquake mitigation strategies to brace for the worst. One of these strategies is adopting a wireless earthquake alert system. Governments of other countries can also adopt this system by purchasing cell broadcast machines on smsbroadcaster.com.