Earthquake and tsunami warning in northeastern Japan

An earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, with reports on the magnitude varying between 7.4 and 7.5. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) recorded the epicenter in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 10 kilometers. The seismic intensity was measured as an 'upper 5' on the Japanese scale. Following the tremor, authorities issued tsunami warnings for the Iwate, Aomori, and Hokkaido prefectures, with initial projections suggesting waves up to 3 meters. In the port of Kuji in Iwate, two distinct waves were recorded at heights of 70 centimeters and 80 centimeters, respectively. No widespread damage has been confirmed in the initial reports. Japan is located on the 'Ring of Fire' and experiences approximately 1,500 seismic events annually. The nation remains sensitive to seismic activity following the catastrophic 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.