A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit Hokkaido, Japan, at 20:23 UTC on April 26, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 81 km (50 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 79 km (49 miles).
At least 30 people have died across Japan since January 20, 2026, due to record-breaking snow affecting much of the country, with Aomori seeing the heaviest accumulation in 40 years on February 1. The self-defense forces were deployed in Aomori City for the first time in 21 years due to the serious threat to life amid heavy snow.
At least ten people were killed across Japan in late January 2026 as heavy snowfall and repeated cold waves affected wide areas of the country. Sapporo surpassed total accumulations of over 1 m (3.3 feet) for the first time since 2022 on Sunday, January 25, while accumulations at Hakkōda Mountains in Aomori reached around 4.5 m (14.8 feet) by Monday, January 26. More snow and strong winds are forecast along the Sea of Japan coast through this week as a cold air mass intensifies.
Severe blizzards with heavy snow and strong winds are forecast to hit much of Japan through Monday, January 12, 2026. These conditions will affect areas from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the southwest, especially along the Sea of Japan coast, with snow totals of upto 80 cm (31 inches) being forecast in mountainous regions.
Record snow and winds struck Hokkaido, Japan, overnight December 14–15, 2025, and left tens of thousands without power.
At least 23 people have been reported injured due to the major M7.6 earthquake that struck Japan on December 8, 2025, prompting over 90 000 evacuations and alert for a potential mega quake.
A major earthquake registered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and USGS as M7.6 struck off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture, Japan, at 14:15 UTC (23:15 JST) on December 8, 2025. Both agencies are reporting a depth of 50 km (31 miles). According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), hazardous tsunami waves are possible within 1 000 km (620 miles) of the epicenter.
Typhoon Nari made a historic landfall over Cape Erimo in Japan on July 15, 2025, as the first typhoon to make landfall over Japan’s northern main island since 2016 and the first to make landfall in Hokkaido during July since records began. It was the fifth named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.3 hit near the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, at 18:51 UTC on June 1, 2025 — 03:51 local time, June 2. USGS is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 31 km (19.2 miles).
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit near the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, at 08:37 UTC (17:37 local time) on May 31, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). JMA is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles).
