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Japan has issued a tsunami warning after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto on the southern main island of Kyushu.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami warning for waves measuring up to 1m (3.28 feet) was in place after the earthquake.
The Japanese government has issued emergency earthquake warnings for prefectures across Kyushu island, including Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, Miyazaki and Kumamoto itself.
A tsunami advisory has been issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas, with people ordered to evacuate coastlines. “The sea and areas near the coast are dangerous. Please immediately move away from the coast. Also, until the advisory is lifted, do not enter the sea or approach the coast,” it said.
Train operator JR Kyushu said that it has suspended services, including its high-speed Shinkansen bullet trains, following the quake, while Kyushu Electric Power said there were no reports of irregularities at its Sendai and Genkai nuclear power stations.
More follows
In pictures: Powerful earthquake rocks Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture
(Reuters)
Toppled shelving after an earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture (Reuters)
The crowded Hakata JR station in Fukuoka, southern Japan, after Kyushu Shinkansen operations were suspended due to an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, (Reuters)
People shop for snacks at a confectionery store in Tokyo, Japan (Reuters)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:58
Sanae Takaichi says people’s lives are top priority
Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to avoid the coastline where a tsunami of up to 1 metre (3 feet) was predicted.
She said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.
“We are putting people’s lives as the top priority,” Takaichi said.
She urged residents in areas that experienced the strongest shaking to continue exercising caution, given the possibility of powerful aftershocks.
(Reuters)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:52
Video shows violent shaking in Costco store
A video circulating on social media appears to show chaotic scenes inside a Costco store in Kumamoto, Japan, as the earthquake happened.
Shelves can be seen emptied as products crash to the floor while shoppers scramble to safety amid the intense shaking.
Panicked shoppers, including kids, could be seen running for cover in the video while others crouched on the floor.
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:47
Watch as Kumamoto Castle’s wall collapses after earthquake
Stone walls at the historic Kumamoto Castle collapsed after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan.
The quake triggered tsunami alerts, disrupted rail services and prompted authorities to assess damage across the region.
Video purported to show a part of the wall collapsing into a waterbody at the Kumamoto Castle.
Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, was also heavily damaged during the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:31
Tsunami waves over 3ft could hit Japan, JMA says
A tsunami warning for waves measuring up to 1m (3.28 feet) was issued after the powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The Japanese government issued emergency earthquake warnings for Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki prefectures, all on Japan’s southern Kyushu island.
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes.
Located along the “Ring of Fire” of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more.
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:26
Mapped: Magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits Japan’s Kyushu region
The quake hit Kumamoto Prefecture, located on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, about 900 km (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo.
(The Independent/Datawrapper)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:21
High-speed trains halted after Japan quake
Train operator JR Kyushu has suspended rail services, including its Kyushu Shinkansen bullet trains, following the powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture.
Kyushu Electric Power said there were no reports of abnormalities at its Sendai and Genkai nuclear power plants after the quake.
File: A new “shinkansen”, or bullet train, passes over traffic on the streets below in Nagasaki on the first day of operations on Japan’s Kyushu island (AFP/Getty)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:14
No risk of tsunami beyond Japan, US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says
US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has said there is no risk of a tsunami beyond Japan.
The quake occurred in the western region of Kumamoto, about 900km(540 miles) southwest of Tokyo.
No damage or injuries were immediately reported after the 4.29pm quake.
Reporters watch the news showing a large quake and possible one meter tsunami wave in Southern Japan, from an office in Tokyo (AFP/Getty)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:10
Kumamoto museum of arts shuts down after powerful eathquake
The Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art has announced it will remain closed on Wednesday following the powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto City.
The museum said the closure is a precautionary safety measure and that it will provide further updates on reopening and future operations as more information becomes available.
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:06
Tsunami warning issued for Japan’s Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea
A tsunami advisory has been issued for Japan’s Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea following a powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture.
Authorities are urging people in coastal areas to stay away from the shoreline and follow evacuation instructions if advised.
“The sea and areas near the coast are dangerous,” the disaster management authority said.
Reporters watch the news showing a large quake and possible one meter tsunami wave in Southern Japan, from an office in Tokyo (AFP/Getty)
Shweta Sharma28 July 2026 09:05