37m agoMon 20 Apr 2026 at 8:56am
Japan’s seismic risk shaped by Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’
Japan lies on top of four major tectonic plates along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
The 800-kilometre Nankai Trough is a key area of concern, where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is “subducting” — or slowly slipping — beneath the continental plate Japan sits on.
Authorities have warned that a major quake in this region, followed by a tsunami, could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to US$2 trillion in damage.
Japan typically experiences around 1,500 earthquakes a year, accounting for roughly 18 per cent of global seismic activity.
Most are minor, but the country remains highly vulnerable to rare large-scale events.
The nation still carries the impact of the 2011 magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami, which killed around 18,500 people and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
More recently, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a first-of-its-kind “megaquake” advisory in 2024. It was lifted after a week but triggered panic buying of staples such as rice and widespread cancellations of hotel bookings.
A second week-long advisory was issued in December 2025 after a magnitude-7.5 quake off northern Japan, which generated tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres and injured more than 40 people, though no major damage was reported.
With reporting by AFP
48m agoMon 20 Apr 2026 at 8:45am
Full list of tsunami warnings and advisories released
The Japan Meteorological Agency has released a map outlining areas under tsunami warnings and advisories.
(Source: Japan Meteorological Agency)
Red zones indicate tsunami warnings, covering Iwate prefecture, central parts of Hokkaido’s Pacific coast, and the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture.
Yellow zones show advisories in other parts of Hokkaido and Aomori, as well as Miyagi Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture.
Authorities are urging residents in affected areas to follow official guidance and stay alert.