# List of earthquakes in Japan

This is a list of earthquakes in Japan with either a magnitude greater than or equal to 7.0 or which caused significant damage or casualties. As indicated below, magnitude is measured on the Richter scale (M$_L$) or the moment magnitude scale (M$_w$), or the surface wave magnitude scale (M$_s$) for very old earthquakes. The present list is not exhaustive, and furthermore reliable and precise magnitude data is scarce for earthquakes that occurred before the development of modern measuring instruments.

## History

Although there is mention of an earthquake in Yamato in what is now Nara Prefecture on August 23, 416, the first earthquake to be reliably documented took place in Nara prefecture on May 28, 599 during the reign of Empress Suiko, destroying buildings throughout Yamato province. Many historical records of Japanese earthquakes exist. The Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee was created in 1892 to conduct a systematic collation of the available historical data, published in 1899 as the Catalogue of Historical Data on Japanese Earthquakes.
Following the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, the Imperial Earthquake Investigation Committee was superseded by the Earthquake Research Institute in 1925. In modern times, the catalogues compiled by Tatsuo Usami [ja] are considered to provide the most authoritative source of information on historic earthquakes, with the 2003 edition detailing 486 that took place between 416 and 1888.

## Earthquake measurement

In Japan, the Shindo scale is commonly used to measure earthquakes by seismic intensity instead of magnitude. This is similar to the Modified Mercalli intensity scale used in the United States, the Liedu scale used in China or the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS), meaning that the scale measures the intensity of an earthquake at a given location instead of measuring the energy an earthquake releases at its epicenter (its magnitude) as the Richter scale does.
Unlike other seismic intensity scales, which normally have twelve levels of intensity, shindo (震度, seismic intensity, literally "degree of shaking") as used by the Japan Meteorological Agency is a unit with ten levels, ranging from shindo zero, a very light tremor, to shindo seven, a severe earthquake. Intermediate levels for earthquakes with shindo five and six are "weak" or "strong", according to the degree of destruction they cause. Earthquakes measured at shindo four and lower are considered to be weak to mild, while those measured at five and above can cause heavy damage to furniture, wall tiles, wooden houses, reinforced concrete buildings, roads, gas and water pipes.

## List

| Date and time | Magnitude | Fatalities | Name of quake | Name in Kanji | Rōmaji name | Epicenter | Description |
| November 29, 684 (proleptic Gregorian calendar) November 26, 684 (Julian calendar) | 8.4 M$_K$ (Kawasumi scale) | 101–1,000 | 684 Hakuhō earthquake | 白鳳南海地震 | Hakuhou Nankai jishin | 32°48′N 134°18′E﻿ / ﻿32.8°N 134.3°E﻿ / 32.8; 134.3 | link between earthquakes and tsunamis first confirmed |
| June 5, 745 (G) June 1, 745 (J) | 7.9 M$_K$ | | occurred in Mino Province | 天平地震 | Tenpyō jishin | 34°48′N 135°30′E﻿ / ﻿34.8°N 135.5°E﻿ / 34.8; 135.5 | |
| July 13, 869 (G) July 9, 869 (J) | 8.9 M$_K$ | 1,000+ | 869 Jōgan earthquake | 貞観地震 | Jōgan jishin | 38°30′N 143°48′E﻿ / ﻿38.5°N 143.8°E﻿ / 38.5; 143.8 | Tsunami flooded Sendai plain |
| June 16, 1026 | 7.8 M$_{JMA}$ | 1,000 | 1026 Manju tsunami | | | 34°48′N 131°48′E﻿ / ﻿34.8°N 131.8°E﻿ / 34.8; 131.8 | Tsunami flooded Iwami Province |
| May 27, 1293 (G) May 20, 1293 (J) | 7.1 M$_s$ | 23,024 | 1293 Kamakura earthquake | 鎌倉大地震 | Kamakura Daijishin | 35°12′N 139°24′E﻿ / ﻿35.2°N 139.4°E﻿ / 35.2; 139.4, near Kamakura, Kanagawa | |
| August 3, 1361 (G) July 26, 1361 (J) | 8.4 M$_s$ | | 1361 Shōhei earthquake | 正平南海地震 | Shōhei Nankai Jishin | 33°00′N 135°00′E﻿ / ﻿33.0°N 135.0°E﻿ / 33.0; 135.0 | Triggered tsunami |
| September 20, 1498 (G) September 11, 1498 (J) | 8.6 M$_K$ | 31,000 | 1498 Meiō earthquake | 明応地震 | Meiō jishin | 34°00′N 138°06′E﻿ / ﻿34.0°N 138.1°E﻿ / 34.0; 138.1, Nankai | |
| January 18, 1586 | 7.9 M$_K$ | | 1586 Tenshō earthquake | 天正大地震 | Tenshō Daijishin | | Islands in Ise Bay reportedly disappeared |
| February 3, 1605 | 7.9 M$_K$ | 5,000+ | 1605 Keichō earthquake | 慶長大地震 | Keichō Daijishin | 33°30′N 138°30′E﻿ / ﻿33.5°N 138.5°E﻿ / 33.5; 138.5 | May have been two separate earthquakes; tsunami greatly exceeded that expected from the magnitude of the earthquake |
| September 27, 1611 | 6.9 M$_K$ | 3,700+ (Official estimate) | 1611 Aizu earthquake | 会津地震 | Aizu Jishin | Aizu basin, Fukushima Prefecture | |
| December 2, 1611 | 8.1 | 2,000+ | 1611 Sanriku earthquake | 慶長三陸地震 | Keichō Sanriku Jishin | 39°00′N 144°24′E﻿ / ﻿39.0°N 144.4°E﻿ / 39.0; 144.4, Iwate Prefecture | |
| June 16, 1662 | 7.25 – 7.6 M | 700–900 | 1662 Kanbun earthquake | 寛文近江・若狭地震 | kanbun Ōmi wakasa jishin | south of Lake Biwa | |
| October 30, 1662 | 7.9 M$_w$ | 200 | 1662 Hyūga-nada earthquake | – | – | Offshore of Kyushu | |
| 1667 | 8.5–9.0 M | unknown | 1667 Kanbun Tokachi-oki earthquake | 寛文十勝沖地震 (scientific) | kanbun Tokachi-oki jishin | Offshore Tokachi region | inferred from tsunami deposits |
| November 4, 1677 | 8.3–8.6 M$_w$ | 569 | 1677 Bōsō earthquake | 延宝房総沖地震 | Enpō Bōsō-oki Jishin | Offshore Bōsō Peninsula | |
| December 31, 1703 | 8.0 M$_L$ | 5,233 | 1703 Genroku earthquake | 元禄大地震 | Genroku Daijishin | Edo | |
| October 28, 1707 | 8.6 M$_L$ | 5,000+ | 1707 Hōei earthquake | 宝永地震 | Hōei jishin | Off the Kii Peninsula | damaged Honshu, Shikoku and Kyūshū; last eruption of Mount Fuji |
| April 24, 1771 | 7.4 M$_K$ | 13,486 | 1771 Great Yaeyama Tsunami | 八重山地震 | Yaeyama jishin | 24°00′N 124°18′E﻿ / ﻿24.0°N 124.3°E﻿ / 24.0; 124.3, Yaeyama Islands | Tsunami over 40 m (130 ft) |
| May 21, 1792 | 6.4 M$_K$ | 15,448 | 1792 Unzen landslide and tsunami | 島原大変肥後迷惑 | Unzen jishin (Shimabara Taihen Higo Meiwaku) | 32°48′N 130°18′E﻿ / ﻿32.8°N 130.3°E﻿ / 32.8; 130.3 | Changes to the Ariake Sea coastline, in the center of Mount Unzen, Kumamoto Prefecture (right) and the Amakusa Islands (see below) were affected by the tsunami An earthquake caused by volcanic activity of Mount Unzen (in the Shimabara Peninsula Nagasaki, Japan). It killed 15,000 people altogether, due in large part to a tsunami that was triggered by the collapse of nearby Mount Mayuyama's southern flank into the bay. The incident is also referred to with the phrase 'Shimabara erupted, Higo affected' (島原大変肥後迷惑), as many people in Higo, (Kumamoto, located 20 km (12 mi) away across the Ariake Sea) were also killed by the resulting tsunami, which then bounced back to hit Shimabara again. |
| December 18, 1828 | 6.9 M$_K$ | 1,559 (official confirmed) | 1828 Sanjō earthquake | 三条地震 | Sanjō Jishin | Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture (then Echigo Province) | According to the official confirmed report, 21,134 houses and buildings were damaged, and 1,204 of them burned down. There were 1,559 human fatalities, and 2,666 injured people in the affected area. |
| December 7, 1833 | 7.5 M$_{JMA}$ | 150 | 1833 Shōnai earthquake | 庄内沖地震 | Shōnai-oki Jishin | Shōnai, Yamagata Prefecture | Destructive tsunami, one of the largest tsunamis in the Sea of Japan. |
| May 8, 1847 | 7.3 M | 8,600+ | 1847 Zenkoji earthquake | 善光寺地震 | Zenkōji Jishin | Nagano Basin (then Shinano Province) | In the central area of Nagano, many buildings collapsed, including Zenkōji temple. The earthquake triggered a complex variety of resulting disasters, which included fires, landslides, and flooding due to the formation and subsequent collapse of a "dam" made of debris from the collapsed buildings. According to the confirmed official report, the death toll throughout the region reached at least 8,600. 21,000 houses were damaged and 3,400 burned, and an additional 44,000 homes were damaged by the landslides in the area. |
| July 9, 1854 | 7.25 M$_K$ | 995 (official confirmed) | 1854 Iga–Ueno earthquake | 伊賀上野地震 | Iga Ueno Jishin | Iga, Mie Prefecture (then Iga Province) | According to the official confirmed report, 2,576 houses and buildings were damaged, with 995 human fatalities and 994 injures in the affected area. |
| December 23, 1854 | 8.4 M$_K$ | 2,000 (estimated) | 1854 Tōkai earthquake | 安政東海地震 | Ansei Tōkai Jishin | Suruga Bay | |
| December 24, 1854 | 8.4 M$_K$ | 10,000+ | 1854 Nankai earthquake | 安政南海地震 | Ansei Nankai Jishin | Nankai Trough | Over 10,000 people from the Tōkai region down to Kyushu were killed. |
| November 11, 1855 | 6.9 M$_K$ | 6,641 | 1855 Edo earthquake | 安政江戸地震 | Ansei Edo Jishin | Edo, near the mouth of the Arakawa River | Edo earthquake in 1855 |
| April 9, 1858 | 7.0 | 200–300 | 1858 Hietsu earthquake | 飛越地震 | Hietsu Jishin | Atotsugawa Fault | |
| March 18, 1872 | 7.1 M$_K$ | 551 (official confirmed) | 1872 Hamada earthquake | 浜田地震 | Hamada Jishin | off coast Hamada, Shimane Prefecture | According to the official confirmed report, 4506 houses were damaged by the earthquake, 230 houses were burned, 551 people were killed, and landslides destroyed 6567 homes in the affected area. This quake occurred at 16:40 local time. |
| February 22, 1880 | 5.5–6.0 | 0 | 1880 Yokohama earthquake | 横浜地震 | Yokohama Jishin | Yokohama City | The damage was minor. However, the Seismological Society of Japan was established in response to the quake. |
| July 28, 1889 | 6.3 | 20 | 1889 Kumamoto earthquake | 熊本地震 | Kumamoto Jishin | Tatsuda fault | First major earthquake after the establishment of the Seismological Society of Japan in 1880. |
| October 28, 1891 | 8.0 M$_L$ | 7,273 | 1891 Mino–Owari earthquake | 濃尾地震 | Nōbi Jishin | Neodani Fault | |
| June 20, 1894 | 6.6 M$_L$ | 31 | 1894 Tokyo earthquake | 明治東京地震 | Meiji-Tokyo Jishin | Tokyo Bay | The death toll was 31 killed and 157 injured. |
| October 22, 1894 | 7.0 M$_L$ | 726 (Official confirmed) | 1894 Shōnai earthquake | 庄内地震 | Shōnai Jishin | Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture | According to the official confirmed report, 14,118 houses and buildings were damaged and 2,148 were burned. There were 726 human fatalities and 8,403 people injured in the damaged area. A large-scale fire broke out in Sakata, and around the Shonai plain area, many instances of cracked earth, sinking ground, sand boils, and fountains were observed. |
| June 15, 1896 | 8.5 M$_L$ | 22,000+ | 1896 Sanriku earthquake | 明治三陸地震 | Meiji Sanriku Jishin | | This quake occurred off the coast of Sanriku in Iwate Prefecture, which caused a tsunami of 25 m (82 ft) to strike 35 minutes after the quake, destroying hundreds of houses and killed over 22,000 people. Tsunami were also observed as far away as Hawaii and in California. |
| September 1, 1923 | 8.3 M$_L$ | 142,800 | 1923 Great Kantō earthquake | 大正関東地震 (関東大震災) | Taishō Kantō Jishin (Kantō Daishinsai) | Izu Ōshima | |
| May 23, 1925 | 6.8 M$_L$ | 428 | 1925 North Tajima earthquake | 北但馬地震 | Kita Tajima Jishin | Toyooka in Hyōgo Prefecture 35°36′N 134°48′E﻿ / ﻿35.6°N 134.8°E﻿ / 35.6; 134.8 | According to the Japanese government's official report, there were 428 human fatalities, 1,016 people injured, 7,863 buildings destroyed, and 45,659 houses damaged by collapse or fire. This quake caused extensive damage to the town of Toyooka and the Maruyama River area. Just before the shaking could be felt, a sound like a cannon was reportedly heard intermittently from the direction of the estuary near the Maruyama River. During the earthquake, the ground in the town of Tokyooka experienced strong seismic vibrations for 16 seconds. As most of the buildings of the time were wooden, many of them were destroyed at once during the initial earthquake. In the fire that broke out subsequently, half of Toyooka was burned down, with many deaths resulting (a reported 8% of the town's population.) 272 deaths were confirmed to have occurred in the Kinosaki area. |
| March 7, 1927 | 7.6 M$_L$ | 3,020 | 1927 North Tango earthquake | 北丹後地震 | Kita Tango Jishin | Tango Peninsula in Kyoto Prefecture | Almost all of the houses in Mineyama (now part of Kyōtango) were destroyed, and the quake was felt as far away as Tokyo and Kagoshima. |
| November 26, 1930 | 7.3 M$_s$ | 272 | 1930 North Izu earthquake | 1930年北伊豆地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-sanjū-nen Kita-Izu Jishin | Izu Peninsula | |
| March 3, 1933 | 8.4 M$_w$ | 3,000+ | 1933 Sanriku earthquake | 昭和三陸地震 | Shōwa Sanriku Jishin | 290 km (180 mi) east of the city of Kamaishi, Iwate | Kamaishi Bay, Iwate after 1933 earthquake and tsunami |
| November 3, 1936 | 7.2 M$_s$ | 0 | 1936 Miyagi earthquake | 1936年宮城県沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-sanjūroku-nen Miyagi-ken-oki Jishin | offshore Miyagi | |
| August 2, 1940 | 7.5 M$_w$ | 10 | 1940 Shakotan earthquake | 1940積丹半島沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-yonjū-nen Shakotan-oki Jishin | offshore Hokkaido | |
| September 10, 1943 | 7.2 M$_L$ | 1,083 | 1943 Tottori earthquake | 鳥取地震 | Tottori Jishin | offshore from Ketaka District | |
| December 7, 1944 | 8.1 M$_w$ | 1,223 | 1944 Tōnankai earthquake | 昭和東南海地震 | Shōwa Tōnankai Jishin | 34°00′N 137°06′E﻿ / ﻿34.0°N 137.1°E﻿ / 34.0; 137.1 | This earthquake occurred on Dec. 7, 1944, at 13:35 local time (04:35 UTC). Its moment magnitude was 8.1 and it was felt with a maximum intensity of 5 on the Shindo scale (or VII, "Severe", on the Mercalli intensity scale). It struck the provinces along the coast of the Tōkai region, causing serious damage and triggering a tsunami. The earthquake and tsunami combined killed 1,223 people, with injuries reported to have affected 20,000 people or more. |
| January 13, 1945 | 6.8 M$_L$ | 1,180 + 1,126 missing | 1945 Mikawa earthquake | 三河地震 | Mikawa Jishin | Mikawa Bay | An earthquake which occurred off Mie and Aichi prefectures, Japan at 03:38 on January 13, 1945. |
| December 20, 1946 | 8.1 M$_w$ | 1,362 | 1946 Nankai earthquake | 昭和南海地震 | Shōwa Nankai Jishin | Nankai Trough | A major earthquake in Nankaidō, Japan. Occurred on December 20, 1946, at 19:19 UTC. The earthquake was felt from Northern Honshū to Kyūshū. |
| June 28, 1948 | 7.1 M$_w$ | 3,769 | 1948 Fukui earthquake | 福井地震 | Fukui Jishin | near Maruoka, Fukui 36°06′N 136°10′E﻿ / ﻿36.10°N 136.17°E﻿ / 36.10; 136.17 | A major earthquake in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. It struck at 5:13 p.m. on June 28, 1948 (the then Japan Daylight Saving Time; JDT). |
| March 4, 1952 | 8.1 M$_w$ | 28 | 1952 Hokkaido earthquake | 1952年十勝沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-goūjūni-nen Tokachi-oki Jishin | 42°18′N 144°54′E﻿ / ﻿42.3°N 144.9°E﻿ / 42.3; 144.9 | The 1952 Hokkaido earthquake took place around March 4, 1952 in the sea east of Hokkaido. On the Moment magnitude scale, it measured 8.1. Casualties occurred due to the earthquake. |
| August 19, 1961 | 7.0 | 8 | 1961 North Mino earthquake | 北美濃地震 | Kitamino Jishin | 36°6′7″N 136°42′0″E﻿ / ﻿36.10194°N 136.70000°E﻿ / 36.10194; 136.70000 | One of the earthquakes that the Japan Meteorological Agency named for the. 8 people dead. |
| June 16, 1964 | 7.6 M$_w$ | 26 | 1964 Niigata earthquake | 新潟地震 | Niigata Jishin | 50 km north of Niigata | The earthquake caused widespread soil liquefaction in the city of Niigata, resulting in unusually high levels of damage to buildings for the felt intensity. |
| April 1, 1968 | 7.5 M$_w$ | 0 | 1968 Hyūga-nada earthquake | 1968年日向灘地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-rokujūhachi-nen Hyūga-nada Jishin | Hyūga-nada Sea | |
| May 16, 1968 | 8.2 M$_w$ | 52 | 1968 Tokachi earthquake | 1968年十勝沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-rokujūhachi-nen Tokachi-oki Jishin | Offshore of Misawa, Japan | This earthquake struck off the coast of Honshu Island, near Misawa Japan, Aomori Prefecture, and was followed by a significant tsunami. The earthquake and ensuing tsunami claimed 52 lives and resulted in significant material damage in Northern Japan. |
| June 17, 1973 | 7.8 M$_w$ | 0 | 1973 Nemuro earthquake | 1973根室半島沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-nanajūsan-nen Nemurohantō-oki Jishin | near Nemuro Peninsula | |
| May 9, 1974 | 6.5 M$_s$ | 25 | 1974 Izu Peninsula earthquake | 1974年伊豆半島沖地震 | Sen-kyūhyaku-nanajūyo-nen Izu-hantō-oki Jishin | near Izu Peninsula | |
| June 12, 1978 | 7.7 M$_s$ | 28 | 1978 Miyagi earthquake | 宮城県沖地震 | Miyagi-ken-oki jishin | just offshore Miyagi Prefecture | Damage was greatest around Sendai, and the earthquake triggered widespread landslides. |
| May 26, 1983 | 7.8 M$_s$ | 104 | 1983 Sea of Japan earthquake | 日本海中部地震 | Nihonkai-chubu jishin | off coast 50 miles (80 kilometers)from Noshiro, Akita Prefecture | Rising up to 9.1 m (30 ft) above the coastline, the tsunami created by this earthquake was observed throughout a wide area along the Sea of Japan's coast and caused damage from Tsuruoka to Goshogawara. 100 people lost their lives to the tsunami, including seawall construction workers and beachgoers. In total, 104 people were killed. Soil liquification was widely observed through the affected area. |
| September 14, 1984 | 6.3 M$_s$ | 29 | 1984 Nagano earthquake | 長野県西部地震 | Nagano-ken-seibu jishin | Mount Ontake, Otaki, Nagano Prefecture | Overall, 29 people were killed and 10 injured. |
| December 17, 1987 | 6.7 M$_w$ | 2 | 1987 Chiba earthquake | 千葉県東方沖地震 | Chiba Toho-oki jishin | 2 people killed and 146 injured. | |
| January 15, 1993 | 7.6 M$_w$ | 2 | 1993 Kushiro earthquake | 釧路沖地震 | Kushiro-Oki Jishin | 43°00′00″N 143°41′28″E﻿ / ﻿43.000°N 143.691°E﻿ / 43.000; 143.691 | |
| July 12, 1993 | 7.7 M$_w$ | 202 | 1993 Hokkaidō earthquake | 北海道南西沖地震 | Hokkaidō Nansei Oki Jishin | 42°51′04″N 139°11′49″E﻿ / ﻿42.851°N 139.197°E﻿ / 42.851; 139.197 | |
| December 28, 1994 | 7.7 M$_w$ | 3 | 1994 offshore Sanriku earthquake | 三陸はるか沖地震 | Sanriku-haruka-oki Jishin | 40°27′04″N 143°29′28″E﻿ / ﻿40.451°N 143.491°E﻿ / 40.451; 143.491 | |
| January 17, 1995 | 7.3 M$_j$ | 6,434 | Great Hanshin earthquake | 兵庫県南部地震 (阪神・淡路大震災) | Hyōgoken Nanbu Jishin (Hanshin-Awaji Daishinsai ) | northern end of Awaji Island | Damage in Kobe An earthquake in Japan that occurred on Tuesday January 17, 1995 at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It measured M$_w$ 6.8 on the Moment magnitude scale (USGS), and Mj7.3 on the revised (7.2 on the old) JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20 seconds. The hypocenter of the earthquake was located 16 km (9.9 mi) beneath its epicenter, on the northern end of Awaji Island, 20 km (12 mi) away from the city of Kobe. |
| May 4, 1998 | 7.5 M$_w$ | 0 | 1998 Ryukyu Islands earthquake | 石垣島南方沖地震 | Ishigakijima nanpō-oki jishin | 22°18′N 125°18′E﻿ / ﻿22.30°N 125.30°E﻿ / 22.30; 125.30 | The epicentre was in the Philippine Sea, far off the coast (260 km from Ishigaki Island, Japan, 400 km from Basco, Philippines, and 425 km from Hualien, Taiwan). |
| March 24, 2001 | 6.7 M$_w$ | 2 | 2001 Geiyo earthquake | 2001年芸予地震 | Nisen-ichi-nen Gēyo Jishin | 34°04′59″N 128°01′12″E﻿ / ﻿34.083°N 128.020°E﻿ / 34.083; 128.020 | |
| September 25, 2003 | 8.3 M$_w$ | 1 | 2003 Tokachi earthquake | 2003年十勝沖地震 | Nisen-san-nen Tokachi-oki Jishin | 41°47′N 143°52′E﻿ / ﻿41.78°N 143.86°E﻿ / 41.78; 143.86 | An earthquake occurring in Hokkaido on September 25, 2003. It measured 8.3 on the Moment magnitude scale and caused extensive damage to roads all around Hokkaido, several power outages, and landslides which resulted in further damage. |
| October 23, 2004 | 6.6 M$_w$ | 68 | 2004 Chūetsu earthquake | 新潟県中越地震 | Chūetsu Jishin | Ojiya, Niigata | Occurred at 5:56 p.m. (local time) on Saturday, October 23, 2004. The initial earthquake caused noticeable shaking across almost half of Honshū, including parts of the Tohoku, Hokuriku, Chūbu, and Kantō regions. |
| March 20, 2005 | 7.0 M$_w$ | 1 | 2005 Fukuoka earthquake | 福岡県西方沖地震 | Fukuoka-ken Seihō Oki Jishin | Fukuoka PrefectureIn the Genkai Sea about 6 km (3.7 mi) northwest of Genkai Island at the mouth of Fukuoka Harbor | This earthquake struck Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan at 10:53:40 JST on March 20 and lasted for approximately 50 seconds. |
| August 16, 2005 | 7.2 M$_w$ | 0 | 2005 Miyagi earthquake | 宮城県沖地震 | Miyagi-ken Oki Jishin | Miyagi Prefectureabout 55 km (34 mi) due east of the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture | |
| November 15, 2006 | 8.3 M$_w$ | 0 | 2006 Kuril Islands earthquake | 2006年千島列島沖地震 | Nisen-roku-nen Chishima Rettō Oki Jishin | Kuril Islands about 160 km (99 mi) due east of the southern tip of Simushir in the Kuril Islands | The earthquake happened at 20:29 JST on November 15, 2006, causing a tsunami to hit the Japanese northern coast. |
| January 13, 2007 | 8.1 M$_w$ | 0 | 2007 Kuril Islands earthquake | 2007年千島列島沖地震 | Nisen-nana-nen Chishima Rettō Oki Jishin | 46°28.8′N 154°04.48′E﻿ / ﻿46.4800°N 154.07467°E﻿ / 46.4800; 154.07467 | The earthquake happened at 1:23 p.m. JST (04:23 UTC) and resulted in a tsunami warning but did not cause significant damage. The epicentre was located 95 km to the south east of the 2006 Kuril Islands earthquake that struck a few weeks earlier. |
| March 25, 2007 | 6.9 M$_w$ | 1 | 2007 Noto earthquake | 能登半島地震 | Noto Hantō Jishin | Ishikawa Prefectureabout 11 km (6.8 mi) due west of the southern end of the town of Wajima | |
| July 16, 2007 | 6.6 M$_w$ | 11 | 2007 Chūetsu offshore earthquake | 新潟県中越沖地震 | Niigata-ken Chūetsu Oki Jishin | Niigata Prefectureabout 29 km (18 mi) west of Niigata | The earthquake) was a powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake that occurred 10:13 a.m. local time (01:13 UTC) on July 16, 2007, in the northwest Niigata region of Japan. Eleven deaths and at least 1,000 injuries have been reported, and 342 buildings were completely destroyed, mostly older wooden structures. |
| June 14, 2008 | 6.9 M$_w$ | 12 | 2008 Iwate–Miyagi Nairiku earthquake | 岩手・宮城内陸地震 | Iwate Miyagi Nairiku Jishin | Iwate Prefectureabout 1 km (0.62 mi) east of Narusawa Onsen in northwest Iwate Prefecture | This earthquake struck the central Tōhoku region, in northeastern Honshū, Japan. |
| August 11, 2009 | 6.6 M$_w$ | 1 | 2009 Shizuoka earthquake | 駿河湾地震 | Suruga-wan Jishin | 33°48′N 138°30′E﻿ / ﻿33.8°N 138.50°E﻿ / 33.8; 138.50, depth 20.0 km | |
| February 26, 2010 | 7.0 M$_w$ | 1 | Ryūkyū Islands earthquake | 沖縄本島近海地震 | Okinawa-hontō-kinkai Jishin | 25°54′07″N 128°25′01″E﻿ / ﻿25.902°N 128.417°E﻿ / 25.902; 128.417, depth 22.0 km | |
| December 21, 2010 | 7.4 M$_w$ | 0 | Bonin Islands earthquake | 父島近海地震 | Chichijima-kinkai Jishin | 26°51′58″N 143°44′20″E﻿ / ﻿26.866°N 143.739°E﻿ / 26.866; 143.739, depth 14.9 km | |
| March 9, 2011 | 7.2 M$_w$ | 0 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake foreshock | 東北地方太平洋沖地震(Foreshock) (東日本大震災) | Tōhokuchihō Taiheiyō Oki Jishin (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai) | 38°25′26″N 142°50′10″E﻿ / ﻿38.424°N 142.836°E﻿ / 38.424; 142.836, depth 32 km | |
| March 11, 2011 05:46:23 UTC (14:46 JST) | 9.1 M$_w$ | 19,759 deaths, (2,553 people missing) | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake | 東北地方太平洋沖地震 (東日本大震災) | Tōhokuchihō Taiheiyō Oki Jishin (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai) | 38°30′36″N 142°47′31″E﻿ / ﻿38.510°N 142.792°E﻿ / 38.510; 142.792, depth 29 km | Damage in Sendai This megathrust earthquake's hypocenter was reported to be off the Oshika Peninsula, the east coast of Tōhoku It was the strongest to hit Japan and one of the top five largest earthquakes in the world since seismological record-keeping began. It was followed by a tsunami with waves of up to 40 m (130 ft) along the Sanriku coast. The disaster left thousands dead and inflicted extensive material damage to buildings and infrastructure that led to significant accidents at four major nuclear power stations. |
| March 11, 2011 06:25:50 UTC | 7.1 M$_w$ | 0 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake aftershock | 東北地方太平洋沖地震(Aftershock) (東日本大震災) | Tōhokuchihō Taiheiyō Oki Jishin (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai) | 38°06′22″N 144°33′11″E﻿ / ﻿38.106°N 144.553°E﻿ / 38.106; 144.553, depth 19.7 km | "Magnitude 7.1 – Off the East Coast of Honshu, JAPAN REGION". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 2011-03-17. Retrieved 2011-03-12. |
| April 7, 2011 23:32:44 JST | 7.1 M$_w$ | 4 | April 2011 Miyagi earthquake | 宮城県沖地震 | Miyagi-ken Oki Jishin | 38°15′11″N 141°38′24″E﻿ / ﻿38.253°N 141.640°E﻿ / 38.253; 141.640, depth 49 km | |
| April 11, 2011 17:16:13 JST | 6.6 M$_w$ | 6 | April 2011 Fukushima earthquake | 福島県浜通り地震 | Fukushima-ken Hamadori Jishin | 37°00′25″N 140°28′37″E﻿ / ﻿37.007°N 140.477°E﻿ / 37.007; 140.477, depth 10 km | "Magnitude 6.6 – East Honshu, JAPAN REGION". United States Geological Survey. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-30. |
| July 10, 2011 10:57:12 JST | 7.0 M$_w$ | 0 | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake aftershock | 福島県浜通り地震 | Fukushima-ken Hamadori Jishin | 38°02′24″N 143°17′13″E﻿ / ﻿38.040°N 143.287°E﻿ / 38.040; 143.287, depth 49 km | Quake was centered c. 242 km SW of Hachijo-jima |
| January 1, 2012 14:27:54 JST | 6.8 M$_w$ | 0 | Izu Islands, Japan | 鳥島近海地震 | Torishima-kinkai Jishin | 31°24′58″N 138°09′18″E﻿ / ﻿31.416°N 138.155°E﻿ / 31.416; 138.155, depth 348.5 km | 242 km (150 miles) SW of Hachijo-jima, Izu Islands, Japan 365 km (226 miles) S of Hamamatsu, Honshu, Japan |
| December 7, 2012 17:18:24 JST | 7.3 M$_w$ | 3 | 2012 Sanriku earthquake | 三陸沖地震 | Sanriku Oki Jishin | 37°42′00″N 144°36′00″E﻿ / ﻿37.700°N 144.600°E﻿ / 37.700; 144.600, depth 32.0 km | 293 km (182 miles) SE of Kamaishi, Japan 492 km (306 miles) ENE of Tokyo, Japan |
| October 26, 2013 02:10:19 JST | 7.1 M$_w$ | 0 | Off the east coast of Honshu | 福島県沖地震 | Fukushima-ken oki jishin | 37°09′22″N 144°39′40″E﻿ / ﻿37.156°N 144.661°E﻿ / 37.156; 144.661, 35.0 km depth | |
| November 22, 2014 22:08:18 JST | 6.2 M$_w$ 6.7 M$_{JMA}$ | 0 | 2014 Nagano earthquake | 長野県地震 | Nagano-ken jishin | 36°38′28″N 137°53′17″E﻿ / ﻿36.641°N 137.888°E﻿ / 36.641; 137.888 9.0 km depth | The earthquake injured 41 people and affected the entire Chubu region. The quake also generated many surface ruptures, mostly near Hakuba Village. |
| May 30, 2015 20:23:02 JST | 7.8 M$_w$ | 0 | 2015 Ogasawara earthquake | 小笠原諸島西方沖地震 | Ogasawara-shoto Seihō Oki Jishin | 27°49′52″N 140°29′35″E﻿ / ﻿27.831°N 140.493°E﻿ / 27.831; 140.493, depth 677.6 km | 189 km (117 mi) WNW of Chichijima, Japan |
| April 14, 2016 21:26:39 JST | 6.2 M$_w$ | 9 | 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes | 平成28年（2016年）熊本地震 | Heisei-28-nen (2016-nen) Kumamoto jishin | depth 10.0 km | 7 km (4.34 miles) SW of Ueki, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan |
| April 16, 2016 01:25:06 JST | 7.0 M$_w$ | 273 | 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes | 平成28年（2016年）熊本地震 | Heisei-28-nen (2016-nen) Kumamoto jishin | 32°47′28″N 130°45′14″E﻿ / ﻿32.791°N 130.754°E﻿ / 32.791; 130.754, depth 10.0 km | 1 km (0.62 miles) E of Kumamoto, Japan |
| November 22, 2016 05:59:49 JST | 6.9 M$_w$ | 0 | 2016 Fukushima earthquake | 福島県沖地震 | Fukushima-ken oki jishin | 37°23′31″N 141°24′11″E﻿ / ﻿37.392°N 141.403°E﻿ / 37.392; 141.403, 11.4 km depth | 37 km ESE of Namie, Fukushima |
| June 18, 2018 07:58:35 JST | 5.5 M$_w$ | 4 | 2018 Osaka earthquake | 大阪府北部地震 | Ōsaka-fu Hokubu Jishin | 34°50′02″N 135°36′22″E﻿ / ﻿34.834°N 135.606°E﻿ / 34.834; 135.606, 13.2 km depth | 2 km NNW of Hirakata, Osaka |
| September 6, 2018 03:07:59 JST | 6.6 M$_w$ | 41 | 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake | 北海道胆振東部地震 | Hokkaido Iburi Tōbu Jishin | 42°40′16″N 141°55′59″E﻿ / ﻿42.671°N 141.933°E﻿ / 42.671; 141.933, 33.4 km depth | 27 km E of Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan |
| June 19, 2019 22:22:19 JST | 6.4 M$_w$ | 0 | 2019 Yamagata earthquake | 山形県沖地震 | Yamagata-ken Oki jishin | 38°38′06″N 139°27′15″E﻿ / ﻿38.635°N 139.4543°E﻿ / 38.635; 139.4543, 16.1 km depth | 33 km WSW of Tsuruoka |
| February 13, 2021 23:07:49 JST | 7.1 M$_w$ | 1 | 2021 Fukushima earthquake | 福島県沖地震 | Fukushima-ken Oki Jishin | 37°42′07″N 141°45′43″E﻿ / ﻿37.702°N 141.762°E﻿ / 37.702; 141.762 55 km depth | 2 km ENE of Ishinomaki |
| March 20, 2021 18:09:45 JST | 7.0 M$_w$ | 0 | March 2021 Miyagi earthquake | 宮城県沖地震 | Miyagi-ken Oki Jishin | 38°28′30″N 141°36′25″E﻿ / ﻿38.475°N 141.607°E﻿ / 38.475; 141.607 54 km depth | 27 km ENE of Ishinomaki |
| October 7, 2021 22:41:24 JST | 5.9 M$_W$ | 0 | 2021 Chiba earthquake | 千葉県北西部地震 | Chiba-ken Hokuseibu Jishin | 35°34′37″N 140°04′12″E﻿ / ﻿35.577°N 140.070°E﻿ / 35.577; 140.070 80 km depth | 4 km SW of Chiba |
| March 16, 2022 23:36:30 JST | 7.3 M$_W$ | 4 | 2022 Fukushima earthquake | 福島県沖地震 | Fukushima-ken-Oki Jishin (Off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture) | 37°42′07″N 141°35′13″E﻿ / ﻿37.702°N 141.587°E﻿ / 37.702; 141.587 63.1 km depth | 57 km ENE of Namie |
| May 5, 2023 14:42:04 JST | 6.2 M$_w$ | 1 | 2023 Noto earthquake | 奥能登地震 | Notohanto-Oki jishin (Off the Noto Peninsula Earthquake) | 37°32′24″N 137°18′18″E﻿ / ﻿37.540°N 137.305°E﻿ / 37.540; 137.305 8.7 km depth | 49 km NE of Anamizu |
| January 1, 2024 16:10:09 JST | 7.5 M$_w$ | 504 | 2024 Noto earthquake | 能登半島地震 | Reiwa 6-nen Notohanto Jishin | 37°29′53″N 137°14′31″E﻿ / ﻿37.498°N 137.242°E﻿ / 37.498; 137.242 10.0 km depth | 42 km NE of Anamizu |
| August 8, 2024 16:42:55 JST | 7.1 M$_w$ | 0 | 2024 Hyūga-nada earthquake | 日向灘地震 | Hyūga-nada Jishin | 31°43′08″N 131°31′37″E﻿ / ﻿31.719°N 131.527°E﻿ / 31.719; 131.527 25.0 km depth | 25 km NE of Nichinan |

### Strongest earthquakes by prefecture (since 1900)

| Prefecture | Date | Magnitudes | Magnitudes | Intensities | Intensities | Casualties | Article | Citations |
| Prefecture | Date | (M$_w$) | (M$_{JMA}$) | MMI | JMA | Casualties | Article | Citations |
| Aichi | 12 January 1945 | 6.6 | 6.8 | VII | 7 | 1,180 dead, 3,866 injured, 1,126 missing | 1945 Mikawa earthquake | |
| Akita | 26 May 1983 | 7.8 | 7.7 | VIII | 5 | 104 dead, 324 injured | 1983 Sea of Japan earthquake | |
| Aomori | 9 March 1931 | 7.9 | 7.2 | VII | 4 | - | - | |
| Chiba | 2 September 1923 | 7.9 | 7.3 | VII | 5 | - | 1923 Great Kantō earthquake (aftershock) | |
| Ehime | 5 August 1968 | 6.8 | 6.6 | VII | 5 | - | - | |
| Fukui | 28 June 1948 | 6.8 | 7.1 | IX | 7 | 3,769 dead, 22,203 injured | 1948 Fukui earthquake | |
| Fukuoka | 20 March 2005 | 6.6 | 7.0 | VIII | 6- | 1 dead, 1,200 injured | 2005 Fukuoka earthquake | |
| Fukushima | 5 November 1938 | 7.8 | 7.5 | VI | 5 | 1 dead | - | |
| Gifu | 14 August 1909 | 6.9 | N/A | N/A | 6 | 41 dead, 774 injured | 1909 Anegawa earthquake | |
| Gunma | 25 February 2013 | 5.8 | 6.3 | VIII | 5+ | - | - | |
| Hiroshima | 24 March 2001 | 6.8 | 6.7 | IX | 6- | 2 dead, 288 injured | 2001 Geiyo earthquake | |
| Hokkaido | 25 September 2003 | 8.3 | 8.0 | IX | 6- | 1 dead, 850 injured, 2 missing | 2003 Tokachi earthquake | |
| Hyōgo | 16 January 1995 | 6.9 | 7.3 | XII | 7 | 6,634 dead, 43,792 injured | Great Hanshin earthquake | |
| Ibaraki | 11 March 2011 | 7.9 | 7.6 | VIII | 6+ | - | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake (aftershock) | |
| Ishikawa | 1 January 2024 | 7.5 | 7.6 | XI | 7 | 526 dead, 1,389 injured | 2024 Noto earthquake | |
| Iwate | 20 March 1960 | 8.0 | 7.2 | VI | 4 | - | - | |
| Kagawa | 26 May 2005 | 4.8 | 4.7 | N/A | 3 | - | - | |
| Kagoshima | 15 June 1911 | 7.9 | 8.1 | VII | N/A | 12 dead | 1911 Kikai Island earthquake | |
| Kanagawa | 1 September 1923 | 8.0-8.2 | 7.9 | XI | 7 | 142,800 dead | 1923 Great Kantō earthquake | |
| Kōchi | 11 December 1968 | 5.5 | 5.6 | N/A | 3 | - | - | |
| Kumamoto | 15 April 2016 | 7.0 | 7.3 | IX | 7 | 277 dead, 2,899 injured | 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes | |
| Kyōto | 7 March 1927 | 7.0 | 7.3 | VII | 6 | 2,956 dead, 7,806 injured | 1927 North Tango earthquake | |
| Mie | 7 December 1944 | 8.1-8.2 | 7.9 | VIII | 6 | 1,223 dead, 2,135 injured | 1944 Tōnankai earthquake | |
| Miyagi | 11 March 2011 | 9.1 | 9.0 | XI | 7 | 19,759 dead, 6,242 injured, 2,553 missing | 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami | |