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In the early hours of the 9th, the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Cabinet Office issued for the first time a 'Hokkaido & Sanriku Coastal Subsequent Earthquake Advisory' regarding the magnitude 7.5 earthquake in the sea near Aomori Prefecture. This means that there is a higher probability of a major earthquake occurring in nearby source areas within approximately the next week compared to normal times.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that, as an advisory has been issued, citizens should be prepared to evacuate at any time, and should evacuate immediately if they feel shaking.
Takaichi emphasized that even though an advisory has been issued, it is still uncertain whether a major earthquake will occur, and urged the public to take disaster prevention measures based on the principle that “protecting your own life is your own responsibility.”
She called on everyone in areas requiring disaster prevention measures, whether or not they are currently in the disaster area, to closely monitor information released by the Meteorological Agency and local governments over the next week or so, and to recheck daily earthquake preparedness such as identifying safe evacuation sites and evacuation routes and securing furniture.
At 11:15 p.m. local time on the 8th (10:15 p.m. Malaysia time), a magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture. In the early hours of the 9th, the Japan Meteorological Agency revised the magnitude to 7.5 and, together with the Cabinet Office, issued for the first time the “Hokkaido & Sanriku Coastal Subsequent Earthquake Advisory.”
Since December 2022, Japan has implemented the 'Hokkaido & Sanriku Coastal Subsequent Earthquake Advisory' mechanism. Under this mechanism, the areas around the Japan Trench and Kuril Trench have been designated as earthquake source regions prone to major earthquakes. An advisory can be issued if a magnitude 7 or greater earthquake occurs in these regions. After the advisory is issued, 182 municipalities across seven prefectures from Hokkaido to Chiba Prefecture are required to maintain daily social activities while also preparing for potential earthquake disasters and evacuation over the following week.
According to estimates by the Japanese government, in the event of a maximum magnitude earthquake along the Japan Trench or Kuril Trench, some coastal areas of Hokkaido and Iwate Prefecture could be hit by tsunamis as high as 30 meters, with a maximum estimated death toll of 199,000. However, with timely warning and evacuation, the number of casualties could be reduced by as much as 80%.
In addition, the Meteorological Agency noted that at 6:52 a.m. local time on the 9th, another magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture, at a depth of 10 kilometers.