M4.6 Earthquake 20 km ESE of Tsunō, Japan — September 18, 2026
2026-09-18 01:07:30 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 10:07 AM UTC+9 local
On September 18, 2026 at 01:07 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km ESE of Tsunō, Japan, at a depth of 53.9 km and coordinates 32.1616°, 131.7540°. This earthquake was detected by 34 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — 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
Earthquake Details
131.7540°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Tsunō, Japan?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 20 km ESE of Tsunō, Japan on September 18, 2026 at 01:07 UTC had a depth of 53.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 32.1616°, 131.7540°, which is 20 km ESE of Tsunō, Japan. View all earthquakes in Japan.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ti70). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 18, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 20 km ESE of Tsunō, Japan — September 18, 2026. Retrieved September 18, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ti70/