Japan: Magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs near the Izu Islands July 18

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan's Izu Islands at around 20:07 July 18. The epicenter was about 163 km (101 miles) south of Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 105 km (65 miles), and light-to-weak shaking was probably felt throughout the Izu Islands and parts of southern Chubu and Kanto regions. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

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.