Shallow M5.9 earthquake hits near Noda, Japan
An earthquake with a magnitude of M5.9 struck at 20:21 UTC on June 27, 2026, approximately 50 km (31 miles) east-northeast of Noda, Japan. The seismic event originated at a depth of 35.0 km (21.7 miles), as reported by the USGS.
The epicenter was located at coordinates 40.3°N, 142.4°E, placing it in coastal northern Honshu, near the Pacific shoreline of Iwate Prefecture, east of the Tohoku region. This part of Japan is known for its proximity to the Japan Trench, a major tectonic boundary zone.
Critical infrastructure in the vicinity may include regional rail networks, highways, and energy distribution infrastructure, all typical for densely populated Japanese coastal regions.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index is 536 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.
This region of Japan is seismically active due to the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Okhotsk Plate along the Japan Trench, leading to frequent moderate to strong earthquakes.
This information was last updated at 20:40 UTC on June 27, 2026.