Japan earthquakes

M5.8 earthquake 59 km E of Iwaki, Japan

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck 59 km E of Iwaki, Japan on Tue, Dec 6, 1938, 3:53 AM JST (18:53 UTC), 25 km (16 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.9 142 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan. This one was a foreshock.

Iwaki forecastMore in Japan

Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
5.8 (mw), moderate
Local time
UTC
1938-12-05 18:53:55 UTC
Depth
25.0 km (15.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
37.102° N, 141.544° E
Region
Japan
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude uncertainty
±0.20
Depth from
From location

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 4 in the 60 days after this one and 23 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 5.9142 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32064 days ago · 25 km deep · 90 km away
  2. 5.786 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32060 days ago · 25 km deep · 47 km away
  3. 5.859 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32050 days ago · 25 km deep · 6 km away
  4. 5.733 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32018 days ago · 35 km deep · 26 km away

Before

  1. 5.877 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32069 days ago · 25 km deep · 19 km away
  2. 6.5100 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32070 days ago · 25 km deep · 49 km away
  3. 7.099 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32073 days ago · 30 km deep · 41 km away
  4. 6.5127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32074 days ago · 25 km deep · 78 km away
  5. 5.8off the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 32077 days ago · 25 km deep · 95 km away
  6. 5.894 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32077 days ago · 25 km deep · 36 km away
  7. 6.392 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32078 days ago · 25 km deep · 34 km away
  8. 5.7136 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32080 days ago · 25 km deep · 81 km away
  9. 5.6151 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32080 days ago · 25 km deep · 99 km away
  10. 5.7127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32081 days ago · 25 km deep · 75 km away
  11. 6.0149 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32081 days ago · 25 km deep · 100 km away
  12. 6.271 km ESE of Namie, Japan · 32087 days ago · 25 km deep · 34 km away
  13. 5.8129 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32094 days ago · 25 km deep · 78 km away
  14. 5.6132 km E of Namie, Japan · 32095 days ago · 25 km deep · 85 km away
  15. 6.5127 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32096 days ago · 25 km deep · 69 km away
  16. 6.364 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32096 days ago · 25 km deep · 7 km away
  17. 6.8130 km ESE of Namie, Japan · 32096 days ago · 30 km deep · 73 km away
  18. 6.2119 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32096 days ago · 25 km deep · 61 km away
  19. 7.6141 km ESE of Namie, Japan · 32096 days ago · 25 km deep · 84 km away
  20. 6.3105 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32097 days ago · 25 km deep · 50 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem902851. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 8:52 AM UTC.