A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday, injuring more than 25 people, shattering store windows, and disrupting transport networks across Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures.
The tremor hit at 1:04 a.m. local time on November 8, 2026, originating at a depth of about 40 kilometres in western Shizuoka Prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, according to Hindustan Times. The U.S. Geological Survey put it at 5.5, while the Japan Meteorological Agency recorded the magnitude at 5.7. The shaking reached an upper 5 on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale in Chita City, Aichi Prefecture, marking the first time jolts of that scale were observed in Aichi since March 1997, and the first time in western Shizuoka since record-keeping began in 1919, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Injuries and Damage Across Central Prefectures
Emergency services and local media reported varying tallies as the extent of the damage emerged. Initial figures cited at least 22 injuries, which later rose as local broadcasters including TV Asahi tallied more than 25 people hurt across Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures. Victims included residents who fell on stairs while evacuating in the middle of the night. In Toyota City, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s fell and hit their heads due to the earthquake, and were subsequently taken to a hospital with head injuries while remaining conscious.
In Toyota City, employees crouched amid books that had fallen from shelves, and a bookstore was left with mounds of books that had flown off the shelves. Authorities also received reports of localised water supply interruptions and water gushing from manholes in parts of Aichi.
Rail Operators Delay Bullet Trains and Suspend Conventional Services
Rail operator JR Central delayed Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima stations following safety inspections, while high-speed trains operated at reduced speeds as a precautionary measure. Conventional railway lines suspended services across extensive sections of their networks to allow operators to inspect tracks and infrastructure for damage.
Shaking was felt in the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara, as well as in Gifu, Nagano, Yamanashi—where Mount Fuji is located—and parts of Osaka and Mie. The tremor was far enough from Tokyo that residents in the capital did not feel it, and no tsunami warning was issued.
Officials Warn Residents About Recurring Tremors and Landslide Risks
Officials warned that earthquakes producing shaking of around upper 5 intensity could recur during the coming week.
In areas that experienced strong shaking, the risk of falling rocks and landslides has increased, so we ask residents to pay close attention to future seismic activity and rainfall conditions,
Ayataka Ebita, an agency official
Addressing public concern over the anticipated Nankai Trough megaquake, agency officials stated that the morning tremor is distinct from the massive seismic event scientists have long modelled for Japan’s Pacific coast. Ayataka Ebita explained that while the tremor occurred in the projected epicenter area, no apparent change had been detected so far to the Nankai Trough plate, and the event is believed to be different from the anticipated massive earthquake.
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