A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Japan’s Kanto region on Thursday morning, primarily affecting Saitama and Tochigi prefectures. The quake, with its epicenter in southern Ibaraki Prefecture, triggered alarms in Tokyo and surrounding areas. No tsunami warning was issued.
The earthquake registered a low 5 on Japan’s Shindo seismic intensity scale. It was felt across the Kanto region, with varying intensities in Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa prefectures.
The Japan Meteorological Agency reports the quake’s depth at approximately 50 kilometers. The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed no abnormalities at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear plant, which was temporarily halted for safety checks. Tokyo Electric Power Company reported no power outages.
The earthquake briefly suspended JR East’s Tohoku Shinkansen lines between Tokyo Station and Shin-Aomori Station due to a power outage, but operations have since resumed.
