Japan lifts quake advisory but urges continued caution
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) lifted a special advisory for further earthquakes and tsunamis in the Hokkaido and Sanriku coastal areas at the end of Monday, one week after it was initially issued.
On Dec. 8, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture, causing severe shaking with a maximum seismic intensity of upper 6 on the Japanese shindo scale in the city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture. Tsunami warnings and advisories were issued from Hokkaido to across the northern Tohoku region.
In response, the agency announced a subsequent quake advisory for the area for the first time, stating that there was a higher-than-usual possibility of a major earthquake occurring along the Chishima Trench and the Japan Trench.
The special advisory was issued to 182 cities and towns in Hokkaido as well as Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Chiba prefectures. These areas were stated to be at risk of experiencing a quake measuring a lower 6 or stronger on the Japanese intensity scale, and a tsunami of 3 meters or higher.
In a joint briefing with the Cabinet Office on Tuesday morning, the JMA said that the warning period ending does not mean the possibility of a large-scale earthquake occurring has completely disappeared, and that it is still possible for a sudden, massive earthquake to occur.
The agency urged the public to maintain vigilance and perform regular earthquake safety practices, such as checking evacuation sites and routes as well as securing furniture.
