Tsunami Advisory Issued for North-East Japan
A significant 6.7 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Japan, prompting the immediate issuance of a tsunami alert for the country's north-eastern region. The seismic event occurred on Sunday, November 9, 2025, just after 5pm local time (8am UK time), according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency.
Details of the Seismic Event
The quake's epicentre was located off the coast of Sanriku at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres. On Japan's unique seven-point intensity scale, which measures the severity of shaking known as 'shindo', the earthquake registered a 4. This prompted the agency to issue a tsunami advisory, which is the second-highest level of alert, just below a full tsunami warning.
Authorities have specifically warned residents in Iwate, situated in the northern part of Honshu island, to anticipate coastal waves of up to one metre. The advisory highlights that the strength of the currents and waves are likely to be dangerous to anyone in the water or near the shoreline.
Safety Warnings and Precedents
People in the affected areas are being urgently advised to stay out of the water and away from beaches and waterways. A broader tsunami forecast, indicating a slight change in sea level, has also been issued for the east coast of Hokkaido and other northern islands, as well as a wider stretch of the Honshu coast.
This event is a stark reminder of the region's vulnerability. As recently as July, nearly two million people were evacuated from coastal areas in northern Japan. This mass evacuation was a precaution following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in the far east of Russia, which subsequently led to waves of almost four metres hitting some less-populated areas of Asia. The Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu experienced waves of up to one metre during that earlier incident.
