Magnitude 7.2 quake strikes off Japan's northern coast and triggers a tsunami alert

Associated Press

Associated Press

Published: 

Japan Tsunami Warning A tsunami warning is displayed on a television in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, after a strong earthquake hits off Japanese northern coast, tsunami alert issued. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)

TOKYO (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan on Monday, triggering a tsunami alert, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.

The agency said the magnitude 7.2 quake struck off the coast of Hokkaido, near the coastal city of Aomori with an epicenter about 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) below the sea surface.

It issued an alert in the region for a tsunami of up to 3 meters (up to 10 feet).

Nuclear power plants in the region were conducting safety checks, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

About The Author