Japan earthquake: Magnitude 5.7 quake injures 22 in central regions

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on Sunday morning, leaving at least 22 people injured, shattering shopfronts and triggering minor travel disruptions across multiple prefectures.

The tremor struck at 1:04 am local time on 8 November 2026, with its epicentre in western Shizuoka Prefecture, roughly 40 kilometres below the surface. Shaking was felt across a broad swath of the country, including Aichi, Gifu, Yamanashi, Nagano, and the historic capitals of Kyoto and Nara, as well as the city of Hamamatsu. The quake occurred far enough from Tokyo that residents in the capital felt no movement.

Japan's Meteorological Agency recorded the highest shaking intensity at upper 5 on the national seismic scale in the city of Chita, located in Aichi Prefecture.

Most of the reported injuries occurred when people fell down stairs while attempting to flee buildings during the shaking. Local television broadcasts showed shattered store windows, glass scattered over pavements and overturned display shelves inside shops.

Transport services faced minor precautionary delays. Rail operators slowed Shinkansen bullet trains in affected zones to allow for track inspections, though no structural damage to the rail network was reported. Officials confirmed that the earthquake posed no tsunami threat.

Following the quake, the Japanese government established an emergency response liaison office to coordinate regional assessments. Meteorological agency official Ayataka Ebita urged residents to remain vigilant for potential aftershocks over the next two to three days, warning that any subsequent rainfall could trigger mudslides or rockfalls on loosened slopes. Ebita added that monitoring equipment detected no abnormal tectonic activity along the Nankai Trough plate.