A 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Japan early this morning, leaving at least 24 people injured, damaging business premises, and disrupting train services.
The earthquake, which occurred at 1:04 am local time, was centred in Shizuoka Prefecture, west of Tokyo, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). No tsunami warning was issued.
Authorities report no fatalities so far; however, the strong tremors caused windows at several business premises to shatter and items to fall from store shelves.
An emergency official in Aichi Prefecture told foreign agencies that authorities had received 16 reports of injuries, most of which were minor.
In the neighbouring prefecture of Shizuoka, at least three women sought emergency medical attention, including a woman in her 90s who sustained a shoulder injury after falling from her bed when the tremors struck.
Separately, the ‘Chunichi Shimbun’ newspaper and Tokai Television reported that at least 24 people were injured across Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures.
In the city of Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, the glass facade of a car showroom reportedly shattered, while items fell from shelves at a large bookstore in the city of Toyota.
The tremors also caused delays and temporary suspensions of regional train services on Sunday morning, including the Shinkansen high-speed rail network.
The earthquake was felt as far away as Osaka, where local media reported that a foreign resident was taken to the hospital after falling from a second-story apartment, having been startled by the shaking.
Authorities in Osaka could not be reached for further comment.
In a separate incident, a 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 10:53 am local time on Sunday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
There were no initial reports of major damage or injuries resulting from this second earthquake.
This region in southwestern Japan is still in the process of recovery following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake last July, which claimed 38 lives, destroyed homes, and left tens of thousands of residents without electricity. – November 8, 2026
