Japan: A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs south of Hokkaido at around 05:31 April 5

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean south of Hokkaido at around 05:31 on April 5. The epicenter was approximately 35 km (21 miles) southwest of Urakawa. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 62 km (38 miles), and weak shaking was probably felt in parts of Hokkaido and northern Honshu. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.