Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Iwate Coast, Injures at Least 8 in Tohoku

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake (upgraded from an initial 6.9 reading) struck off the eastern coast of Iwate Prefecture on the morning of June 25, 2026, at a depth of roughly 50 kilometers. Aomori Prefecture registered an 'upper 6' on Japan's seven-point seismic intensity scale, the hardest-hit area. At least 8-10 people were injured across Aomori and Iwate prefectures, mostly from falls or falling objects, with two seriously hurt. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued no tsunami warning. No abnormalities were reported at the Fukushima Daiichi plant or a spent-fuel reprocessing facility in Aomori. East Japan Railway suspended some Shinkansen and local lines for safety inspections.