M5.3 Earthquake 29 km NE of Shimo-furano, Japan — June 20, 2021
2021-06-20 11:08:24 UTC (2021-06-20) · approx. 9:08 PM UTC+10 local
On June 20, 2021 at 11:08 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 intermediate depth earthquake struck 29 km NE of Shimo-furano, Japan, at a depth of 151.9 km and coordinates 43.5582°, 142.6172°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Fukagawa (population 26,152).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 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
Nearest Populated Places
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
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 | 5,155,498 |
| MMI 4 | light | 106,939 |
Earthquake Details
142.6172°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Shimo-furano, Japan?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 29 km NE of Shimo-furano, Japan on June 20, 2021 at 11:08 UTC had a depth of 151.9 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 43.5582°, 142.6172°, which is 29 km NE of Shimo-furano, Japan. The nearest populated place is Fukagawa (population 26,152). View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000eeng). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, June 20, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake 29 km NE of Shimo-furano, Japan — June 20, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000eeng/