Quake in central Japan injures 23 and disrupts train service

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday morning, injuring at least 23 people and shaking buildings across several prefectures.

The tremor began at 1:04 a.m., with its epicenter located 40 kilometers deep in Shizuoka prefecture. The Japan Meteorological Agency measured the quake at 5.7, while the United States Geological Survey recorded it at 5.5. Minor aftershocks followed the initial impact. The shaking reached level 5 on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale in parts of Aichi, Nagano, Gifu, and Shizuoka. Aichi, which sits near the heavily affected zone, experienced the most violent shaking according to official assessments. The quake was not felt in Tokyo, which lies far enough away to remain outside the immediate impact radius.

In the hours following the quake, damage became visible across the affected region. Shattered window panes and glass fragments covered streets in Hamamatsu, Kyoto, and Nara. In one library, books flew off shelves and piled on the floor. Among the 23 injured were people who fell on staircases while trying to escape their buildings. The quake also affected Yamanashi prefecture, home to Mount Fuji, and the nearby Gifu prefecture.

Transit systems faced immediate disruptions. Local train services were interrupted in several areas. Operators delayed Shinkansen bullet trains between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima stations to conduct safety inspections. Bullet trains in affected zones were ordered to travel at reduced speeds as a precautionary measure against potential track damage. The Chubu Electric Power Company reported that it found no anomalies at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka, which is located about 200 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. The utility continues to monitor the facility for any structural shifts.