Tremor-prone Japan shaken by earthquake of 6 magnitude as country welcomes New Year

New Delhi: Japan welcomed the new year 2026 in an ominous way. On Wednesday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck off the coast of the country's eastern Noda region, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake that struck Japan on Wednesday was at a depth of 19.3 km. A few weeks ago, on December 8, a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook the country. It injured at least 30 people, and around 90,000 people had to evacuate their homes.

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The earthquake that struck Japan on December 8 led the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning with waves as high as 10 feet, especially for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate. At several ports in the country, tsunamis from 20 to 70 cm high were observed.

Japan is located in the 'Ring of Fire' of volcanoes, which makes it one of the most earthquake-prone countries. It experiences tremors every five minutes, and about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater take place in Japan.

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Japan welcomed 2026 with its traditional Shogatsu, which starts on January 1 and goes on for several days. On New Year's Eve, temple bells are rung 108 times as it symbolises the removal of materialistic earthly desires. People clean homes and decorate them with pine, bamboo, and straw.