Japan - 7.5 earthquake occurred at 23:15 (14:15 GMT) at the northern tip of Honshu Island

At 11:15pm Japan time (14:15 GMT), a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck off the northern tip of Honshu, Japan, at a depth of 54 kilometers. It was felt strongly across northern Japan and was also noticeable in Tokyo.

A tsunami warning was issued, and evacuation orders were implemented in Aomori Prefecture, parts of eastern Hokkaido, and Iwate Prefecture. The orders advised people to evacuate immediately, move to higher ground or safe buildings such as designated shelters, and stay away from rivers.

Only small waves (40–70 cm) were recorded, and the tsunami warning was subsequently lifted. There were reports of power outages, suspension of rail services, and injuries. There were no reports of abnormalities at the Higashidōri and Onagawa nuclear power plants, and checks were being carried out at other nuclear facilities.

Any New Zealanders in the affected areas should have received an evacuation alert on their phones, with instructions broadcast in both English and Japanese.

The following SafeTravel message was sent to all those registered on SafeTravel:

A strong magnitude 7.6 earthquake has struck northern Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency reports the quake occurred off Aomori Prefecture, with a maximum intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese scale in the hardest-hit areas.

A tsunami warning is in place for Aomori, Iwate and Hokkaido prefectures, and a tsunami advisory has been issued for Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. If you are in an affected area, please follow the instructions of local authorities including any evacuation orders.

Stay updated via NHK World Japan or the Japan Meteorological Agency: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html

New Zealanders in need of consular assistance can contact the New Zealand Embassy Tokyo: +81 3 3467 2271."