Residents stocking up on emergency gear amid megaquake advisory
Across Aomori and Hokkaido, residents are reportedly stocking up on emergency gear as stores report surging sales of water, stabilisers, portable toilets, and adjustable poles to secure household furniture.
Families are preparing for the worst as the megaquake advisory remains in place.
Broken window glass scattered on the street in front of a building is seen in Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture on 9 December 2025, following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake off northern Japan (JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)
A man in his 40s who was buying stabilisers for his fridge said: “It almost fell over in the quake. I hope we don’t experience another big one. I have young children, so I bought this as a precaution.”
Many stores are now also displaying disaster-related goods on shelves.
Childcare centres and community shelters are now prioritising heating options, thermal mats, and ways to keep evacuees dry in case of an emergency.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 07:13
Pacific coast residents on edge after latest earthquake
Japan’s northern and eastern regions are on high alert as authorities continue to ask citizens to stay vigilant amid a megaquake advisory.
Today’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake added to anxieties as authorities have warned that conditions along the Japan Trench and Chishima Trench could trigger another major tremor.
Since Monday’s 7.5-magnitude tremor, dozens of aftershocks have struck the region.
Officials have expanded preparedness advisories to more than 180 municipalities spanning Hokkaido to Chiba.
Residents have been urged to go back to basics: know evacuation routes, secure heavy furniture, and assemble emergency grab-and-go kits stocked with essentials such as water, food, flashlights, and portable toilets.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 06:32
Japan’s weather agency revises magnitude of latest earthquake from 6.7 to 6.9
Japan’s Meteorological Agency has upgraded today’s earthquake off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture to a magnitude 6.9, up from the initial 6.7 estimate.
The quake struck at 11.44am local time and had a depth of 17 km – slightly shallower than the preliminary estimate of around 20km.
The tsunami advisory, issued minutes after the tremor, has now been lifted. There were, however, some evacuations in Miyagi Prefecture, according to local media reports.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 06:08
Megaquake advisory prompts hotel cancellations
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s advisory warning of a possible megaquake following Monday’s strong Aomori tremor has prompted hotel booking cancellations across the region, The JiJi Press reported.
The alert, in effect until midnight Tuesday, urges residents in Hokkaido and the Sanriku coast to take precautions.
A “ryokan” owner in Hachinohe City told the outlet that there were “five or six reservation cancellations, mainly by people who planned to visit on business”.
She said a school team booking may also be withdrawn. She added: “We are urging guests to check evacuation sites and routes in advance to prepare for a big earthquake.”
Monday’s earthquake was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks over the next few days, and today a magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori, briefly triggering a tsunami advisory along the Pacific coast.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 05:45
Tsunami advisory lifted
The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted the tsunami advisory that was issued minutes after the magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori Prefecture this morning.
The advisory was in place for the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures.
The earthquake came just days after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, which prompted authorities to issue a megaquake warning which remains in effect until midnight Tuesday.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 05:27
Tsunami waves 20cm high reach Hokkaido and Aomori
By about 1.00pm local time, tsunami waves roughly 20cm high had reached parts of Hokkaido and Aomori, local media said.
The tsunami advisory was issued minutes after magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck off Aomori’s eastern coast at 11.44am, at a depth of 20km.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 05:22
Sendai City in Miyagi issues evacuation orders
Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture issued an evacuation order at 11.52am today, urging residents near the coast and rivers connected to the sea to move to safer inland locations, NHK Japan reported.
There are tsunami advisories and warnings in place for the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures.
A tsunami advisory is less severe than a full warning and simply instructs people in affected areas to keep clear of the coastline, while a warning urges people to take action to move away from the coast.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 05:21
No abnormalities at nuclear facilities, Japan’s nuclear regulation authority says
Tohoku Electric Power Company reports that the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture and the Onagawa plant in Miyagi Prefecture are operating normally, with no abnormalities detected, NHK Japan reported.
Tokyo Electric Power Company confirmed that Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear plants are stable, with radiation monitoring posts showing no unusual readings after this morning’s 6.7-magnitude earthquake.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority added that there are “no immediate signs of abnormalities” at nuclear facilities in the region affected by the quake.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 05:09
Where did the latest earthquake strike?
The 6.7-magnitude earthquake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture, in the north of Honshu, the main Japanese island, at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles) at 11.44am local time, JMA said.
The Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures could see a tsunami of up to 1 metre (3.2 feet), the agency added. Damage and injuries weren’t immediately clear.
The megaquake warning, issued a day after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck, remains in place until midnight Tuesday.
6.7-magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Aomori Prefecture (JMA)
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 04:45
Tsunami advisory issued after magnitude-6.7 earthquake strikes off Aomori Prefecture
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off Aomori at 11.44am today, prompting a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, waves of up to 1 metre are possible in the areas under the advisory.
The quake, which registered shindo 4 (Japanese earthquake intensity scale that runs from 0 to 7) in several prefectures, follows a stronger magnitude 7.5 tremor earlier in the week.
Authorities warn that the likelihood of another large quake remains elevated.
A tsunami advisory is less severe than a full warning and simply instructs people in affected areas to keep clear of the coastline. It does not call for evacuation.
Maroosha Muzaffar12 December 2025 04:21
