Magnitude 7.1 earthquake shakes southern Japan, tsunami warning issued

Southern Japan experienced a significant seismic event on Tuesday when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture. The tremor's epicentre was located in the city of Uki, situated just south of Kumamoto, at a depth of 10 kilometres. Emergency warnings were issued across seven prefectures on Kyushu island: Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki.

The earthquake triggered immediate disruptions to infrastructure and services. Kyushu Electric Power reported approximately 40,000 homes lost electricity, while railway operator JR Kyushu suspended services including high-speed bullet train operations. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning predicting waves of up to 1 metre in affected coastal areas.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responded by urging residents in affected areas to remain alert for potential follow-up earthquakes of comparable magnitude. The government mobilised to assess the full extent of damage as rapidly as possible. The Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed no irregularities at nuclear power stations in the region.

Industrial facilities in the affected zone include manufacturing plants operated by Sony and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), though initial reports provided no clarity on whether structural damage occurred at these installations. Japan's position along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it particularly vulnerable to seismic activity, accounting for approximately 20 percent of the world's earthquakes measuring magnitude 6 or above.