Japan Earthquake Injures 37 Across Five Prefectures

Shanya Salar 1 hour ago
First responders from the Tokyo Fire Department stand on a street partially flooded in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, following the rupture of a water pipe after an earthquake that struck the area and neighboring prefectures. (Kazuki Kozaki/Kyodo News via AP)
First responders from the Tokyo Fire Department stand on a street partially flooded in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, following the rupture of a water pipe after an earthquake that struck the area and neighboring prefectures. (Kazuki Kozaki/Kyodo News via AP)

At a Glance

  • Magnitude 5.9 quake hits eastern Japan
  • At least 37 people injured
  • No tsunami threat reported
  • Officials warn of possible aftershocks

A moderate earthquake struck eastern Japan early Sunday, shaking Tokyo and surrounding areas and injuring at least 37 people, officials said.

Key Statements and Focus Area

  • Japan Meteorological Agency: The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, with its epicenter in southern Ibaraki at a depth of 70 kilometers.
  • Casualties: “At least 37 people were injured” across Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Ibaraki.

Emergency earthquake alerts were sent to mobile phones across the affected area.

Most were hurt after falling or striking furniture and doors after being startled by the earthquake while sleeping. A woman in her 80s suffered a serious hip injury after falling from her bed in Yokohama, according to the Yomiuri newspaper.

The earthquake caused delays to express trains serving Tokyo and Narita Airport, as well as local services in northeastern areas. Shinkansen bullet trains continued operating normally, according to East Japan Railway Co. An underground water pipe ruptured in Tokyo’s Koto ward, sending water onto a road, according to NHK footage. The pipe was later repaired, and the leak was stopped.

NHK footage also showed traffic in nearby cities, including Mito and Saitama, appearing to operate normally.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said there were no reported abnormalities at about a dozen nuclear power plants and other facilities handling nuclear materials. The government established a task force to assess possible damage, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on X.

The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents in the affected areas to remain cautious for about a week because another moderate earthquake could occur.

FYI

The latest earthquake comes after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu last month. That earthquake killed 38 people and injured 364, according to the report.

Japan remains highly earthquake-prone because it sits along several major tectonic boundaries, making earthquake preparedness and early-warning systems a central part of the country’s disaster response.

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