Experts Urge Japanese Citizens to Remain Vigilant About Strong Earthquakes and Tsunamis
A recent study by the Japanese government has revealed the locations and lengths of 25 active faults off the coast of the country. These areas are at risk of experiencing earthquakes with magnitudes of 7 or higher.
The report, conducted by the government’s Earthquake Research Committee, indicates that the faults are located offshore, stretching from the northern region of Hyogo Prefecture to the Joetsu area in Niigata Prefecture.
Tilted sign on a road damaged by the earthquake on January 1, 2024, in Nishiaraya, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan – (Photo: REUTERS)
By mid-2025, the committee is expected to announce the risk of earthquakes occurring within the next 30 years at these faults.
This report is part of a long-term assessment that was quickly established following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in the Noto Peninsula on January 1 of this year, enabling coastal cities to enhance their disaster mitigation measures.
The report identifies 25 active faults and fault zones that are at least 20 kilometers long, where continuous seismic activity occurs and aftershocks are anticipated.
When earthquakes occur along these faults or fault zones, nearby coastal areas may experience seismic intensities lower than 6, which is the third-highest level on Japan’s seismic scale, or even higher, and could be subjected to tsunamis of at least 1 meter.
The report is based on a comprehensive study of underwater structures using sonar from a research vessel.
The estimated magnitudes of these earthquakes are determined solely based on the lengths of the faults and do not take into account the impacts of recent earthquakes.
Professor Emeritus Naoshi Hirata at the University of Tokyo, who leads the committee, stated that seismic activity in the Noto Peninsula and surrounding seas has continued since December 2020, and he strongly advises the public to remain vigilant about strong earthquakes and tsunamis.
The committee has recently identified 3 active faults near Wakasa Bay, off the coasts of Fukui and Kyoto Prefectures. If an earthquake were to occur there, the intensity could reach approximately 7.1 to 7.5.
The earthquake that struck at the beginning of 2024 was triggered by the movement of the northern coastal fault of the Noto Peninsula, which is about 94 kilometers long, along with part of the Monzen fault, approximately 38 kilometers to the west. Additionally, part of the western edge of the Toyama Trench fault (about 61 kilometers long) may also have shifted.
