M7.6 Earthquake near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake — December 8, 2025
2025-12-08 14:15:09 UTC (2025-12-08) · approx. 11:15 PM UTC+9 local
Felt by 258 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.9 (very strong).
On December 8, 2025 at 14:15 UTC, a magnitude 7.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake, at a depth of 40.7 km and coordinates 40.9984°, 142.1836°. The earthquake was reported felt by 258 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.9 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a yellow alert level for this event, indicating local impact possible. This earthquake was detected by 170 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 1080, making it one of the most significant global earthquakes in recent days. The nearest populated place is Uchimaru (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3.8 megatons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 106 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Japan, a region characterized by the intersection of four tectonic plates — Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian, and North American — creating multiple subduction zones. The nearest mapped fault system is the Japan Trench. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 6.9 (very strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Strong shaking felt by everyone. Heavy furniture may move. Books fall from shelves. Plaster and chimneys may crack. Damage is generally slight in well-built structures.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 258 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 175,254 |
| MMI 4 | light | 7,920,133 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 4,160,333 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 953,956 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 269,997 |
Earthquake Details
142.1836°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 7.6 earthquake near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake?
The magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake on December 8, 2025 at 14:15 UTC had a depth of 40.7 km. It was felt by 258 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.9 (very strong). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 40.9984°, 142.1836°, which is near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake. The nearest populated place is Uchimaru (population 0). View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 7.6 earthquakes can continue for months to years and gradually diminish over time.
Has Japan had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Japan was the M9.1 Tohoku earthquake of March 11, 2011. Today's magnitude 7.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rtdt). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, December 8, 2025). M7.6 Earthquake near 2025 Aomori Prefecture, Japan Earthquake — December 8, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rtdt/