(VIDEO) Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Strikes Eastern Japan, Injures Several, Disrupts Tokyo Train Service

TOKYO — A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck eastern Japan early Sunday, shaking the greater Tokyo area and injuring at least five people, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, though officials said more injuries were still being assessed as the day continued.

The quake struck at approximately 2 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, at a depth of roughly 70 kilometers, or about 42 miles, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The agency reported a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, while the U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at magnitude 5.8. Officials confirmed there was no danger of a tsunami.

Shaking reached an intensity of lower 5 on Japan's seven-level shindo seismic intensity scale in Tokyo's Adachi Ward, as well as in Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba prefectures, according to The Japan Times. Level 4 shaking was recorded in other parts of Tokyo and in Tochigi, Gunma and Kanagawa prefectures. According to the Meteorological Agency, shaking at the lower-5 intensity level can cause objects to fall from shelves and prompt people to grab onto something for support. In some areas, the tremors lasted up to a minute, with residents receiving earthquake early warning alerts on their mobile phones shortly before the shaking began.

The quake also produced what seismologists refer to as long-period ground motion, a slower, more prolonged form of shaking that can cause high-rise buildings to sway significantly and, at higher intensities, make it difficult for people to remain standing. According to NHK, Level 2 long-period ground motion was observed in the city of Kawaguchi in Saitama Prefecture, the city of Urayasu in Chiba Prefecture, and in Tokyo's Koto and Edogawa wards.

At least five people were injured across Ibaraki, Chiba and Saitama prefectures, according to officials cited by the Korea Times, with authorities continuing to investigate reports of additional injuries as Sunday progressed. The quake caused an underground water pipe to rupture in Tokyo's eastern Koto ward, and roughly 460 homes in Tokyo lost power, though electricity service was restored later Sunday morning.

Transportation across the region faced significant disruption in the aftermath of the quake. Express trains serving Tokyo and Narita Airport, along with various local train lines in northeastern Japan, were delayed or suspended following the earthquake. Shinkansen bullet train service, however, continued to operate normally throughout the region, reflecting the strict seismic safety protocols built into Japan's high-speed rail network.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were actively assessing the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake, according to reporting from News On Japan. A liaison office was established at the Crisis Management Center within the prime minister's office to coordinate the government's response and monitor developments as officials continued evaluating the earthquake's broader impact across the affected region.

The Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents in areas that experienced strong shaking to remain alert to the possibility of another earthquake of similar magnitude occurring within the coming week, according to The Japan Times, a standard precautionary advisory the agency typically issues following moderate-to-strong seismic events given the increased likelihood of aftershocks during the days immediately following a significant quake.

Sunday's earthquake struck an area of Japan that is particularly prone to frequent seismic activity. According to the Korea Times, southern Ibaraki Prefecture, where the quake originated, is known for regular seismic events given its location along a complex convergence of tectonic plates beneath the greater Tokyo region.

The magnitude and characteristics of Sunday's earthquake bear notable similarities to a previous significant quake that struck the same general region in October 2021. That earthquake, also measuring magnitude 5.9, was centered in neighboring Chiba Prefecture at a depth of between 62 and 75 kilometers, depending on the measuring agency, and was at the time described as the strongest earthquake to strike the Tokyo area since the catastrophic 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The 2021 quake injured at least 51 people, according to Wikipedia's record of the event, and registered a maximum intensity of Shindo 5+, slightly stronger than Sunday's recorded intensity of lower 5.

Sunday's earthquake arrived amid a broader stretch of significant news events in Japan. According to News On Japan, the quake struck as two typhoons were separately approaching Okinawa in quick succession, with one storm already affecting the Sakishima Islands with heavy rain and strong winds, while a second, more powerful typhoon continued approaching the region. The earthquake also came just two days after Japan carried out its first execution under the Takaichi administration, when 58-year-old death row inmate Sunao Takami was executed on Aug. 21 for a 2009 arson attack on an Osaka pachinko parlor that killed five people and injured 10 others.

Japan remains one of the most seismically active regions in the world, accounting for roughly 20% of all earthquakes worldwide measuring magnitude 6 or greater, according to prior reporting on the country's earthquake frequency. The country has invested heavily in earthquake-resistant building codes, early warning systems and public education campaigns in the decades since the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, infrastructure that experts credit with helping limit casualties and structural damage during moderate earthquakes such as Sunday's event, even as officials continue closely monitoring the region for potential aftershocks in the days ahead.

As cleanup and damage assessment efforts continue across the affected prefectures, officials have not indicated a specific timeline for when the full scope of injuries, infrastructure damage and service disruptions tied to Sunday's earthquake will be finalized. The Japan Meteorological Agency's continued advisory regarding the potential for further seismic activity in the coming week is expected to keep residents across the greater Tokyo region on heightened alert as authorities work to confirm the earthquake's complete impact.