5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 111 km S of Honchō, JapanDecember 11, 2025

2025-12-11 22:09:19 UTC (2025-12-11) · approx. 8:09 AM UTC+10 local

Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM5.0(mww)
Time22:09 UTC8:09 AM UTC+10
Depth29.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates41.126°, 142.812°
Felt by1DYFI response
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 11, 2025 at 22:09 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 111 km S of Honchō, Japan, at a depth of 29.0 km and coordinates 41.1264°, 142.8124°. This earthquake was detected by 73 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 41.13°, 142.81°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M5.0 earthquake near 111 km S of Honchō, Japan

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mww
Depth
29.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
41.1264°N
142.8124°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.7
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000ru9z
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
385
Stations Used
73
Azimuthal Gap
132.0°
Min Station Distance
0.925°
RMS Residual
0.87 sec
Last Updated
2026-03-10 22:18:37 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Honchō, Japan?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 111 km S of Honchō, Japan on December 11, 2025 at 22:09 UTC had a depth of 29.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 41.1264°, 142.8124°, which is 111 km S of Honchō, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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 5.0 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: us6000ru9z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, December 11, 2025). M5.0 Earthquake 111 km S of Honchō, JapanDecember 11, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ru9z/