Japan issues tsunami warning after 5.6 magnitude earthquake

Japanese authorities have issued a tsunami warning for the remote Izu and Ogasawara islands, following a 5.6 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Tokyo.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quake’s magnitude, prompting the Japanese Meteorological Agency to warn of potential tsunami waves up to one metre high in the affected areas.

“Get out of the sea and quickly move away from coastal areas,” the agency urged residents, emphasising the need for immediate action.

Despite the warning, some residents in the area reported to Japanese public broadcaster NHK that they had not felt the earthquake.

Japan, situated on the tectonically active “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific Ocean, is one of the world’s most seismically volatile countries.

The archipelago, home to approximately 125 million people, experiences around 1,500 seismic events annually, though most are minor.