Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Chugoku Region

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 struck Japan’s western Chugoku region on Tuesday, followed by a series of strong aftershocks, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake’s epicentre was in eastern Shimane prefecture. Authorities said there was no risk of a tsunami. Chugoku Electric Power’s Shimane Nuclear Power Station is located about 32 km (20 miles) from the epicentre.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities were reported at the plant. A spokesperson for the utility said checks were under way to assess any impact on the No. 2 reactor, which resumed operations in December 2024 after being shut down in the wake of the March 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Japan is one of the world’s most seismically active countries and experiences frequent earthquakes. Tuesday’s quake registered an upper-5 on Japan’s seven-point seismic intensity scale, strong enough to make it difficult to move without support.

West Japan Railway said Shinkansen bullet train services between Shin-Osaka and Hakata were suspended following the earthquake.