World

Magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes southern Japan

Published on

January 5, 2026

Epicenter of the earthquake (Credit: Google)

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake has struck southern Japan, with reports of strong shaking in areas near the epicenter, according to seismologists. Several aftershocks have followed.

The earthquake struck at 10:18 a.m. local time on Tuesday, with the epicenter in Shimane Prefecture, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS said the quake struck at a shallow depth of about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

The epicenter was located about 9 miles (14 kilometers) south of Yasugichō and roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Yonago, the USGS said. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) measured the earthquake at a higher magnitude of 6.2.

According to the USGS, strong shaking may have been felt in the immediate epicentral area, including in Yonago, a city with a population of more than 140,000. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Several moderate aftershocks followed the main quake, including two separate magnitude 5.0 earthquakes that struck between 10 and 20 minutes later, according to seismologists.

Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire where multiple tectonic plates converge.

The affected area in western Shimane Prefecture is less frequently struck by major earthquakes than Japan’s Pacific coast but remains vulnerable due to active fault systems in the region.