Tremor in Shimane Prefecture felt at upper-5 intensity, halts bullet trains, but no damage or nuclear irregularities reported.
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 struck Japan’s western Chugoku region on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed. The tremor was centered in eastern Shimane Prefecture and was followed by a series of notable aftershocks. Authorities confirmed there was no risk of a tsunami.
The quake registered a maximum seismic intensity of upper-5 on Japan’s 7-point scale, indicating shaking strong enough to make movement difficult without support. Despite the significant tremor, no immediate damage or injuries have been reported.
Chugoku Electric Power, which operates the Shimane Nuclear Power Station approximately 32 kilometers from the epicenter, stated that operations continued as normal at its No. 2 reactor. The Nuclear Regulation Authority also confirmed no irregularities at any nuclear facilities following the quake. The plant’s No. 2 unit had been restarted in December 2024, following Japan’s nationwide nuclear shutdown after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Transport services were temporarily disrupted, with West Japan Railway suspending Shinkansen bullet train operations between Shin-Osaka and Hakata as a precautionary measure. Services are expected to resume after safety inspections.
Japan, situated on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences roughly one-fifth of the world’s magnitude 6 or greater earthquakes. The country’s stringent building codes and disaster preparedness protocols are widely credited with minimizing damage and casualties during frequent seismic events.
Local authorities continue to assess the situation, and residents are advised to remain alert for potential aftershocks.
