A PRELIMINARY magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck eastern Japan early on Aug 23, shaking Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, with multiple people reported injured but no tsunami threat issued.
The earthquake struck at about 2am local time, with its epicentre in the southern part of Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of 68km, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The quake registered lower 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in parts of Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba prefectures, as well as Adachi ward in central Tokyo.
According to Kyodo news, several people were injured, including a young man and a woman in her 70s in Saitama, near Tokyo, while three others were injured in Kawasaki, south of the capital, according to local fire departments.
In Tokyo’s Koto ward, a ruptured water main prompted metropolitan authorities to investigate whether the damage was caused by the earthquake.
The earthquake was felt across a wide area of Japan, including parts of north-eastern and central Japan.
There were no reported abnormalities at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki, according to its operator.
No abnormalities were also reported at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and nearby Fukushima Daini plant, both located north of Ibaraki, according to their operator.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on social media that she had instructed officials to assess the extent of the damage and provide timely information to the public.
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to remain alert for an earthquake registering lower 5 on the seismic intensity scale over the next week, particularly during the next two to three days. - August 23, 2026
