Japan earthquakes

M5.7 earthquake 86 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck 86 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan on Tue, Dec 13, 1938, 8:38 AM JST (23:38 UTC), 25 km (16 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.8 59 km E 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
5.7 (mw), moderate
Local time
UTC
1938-12-12 23:38:43 UTC
Depth
25.0 km (15.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
36.712° N, 141.754° 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: 2 in the 60 days after this one and 15 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 5.859 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32051 days ago · 25 km deep · 41 km away
  2. 5.733 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32019 days ago · 35 km deep · 59 km away

Before

  1. 5.9142 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32065 days ago · 25 km deep · 59 km away
  2. 5.859 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32068 days ago · 25 km deep · 47 km away
  3. 5.877 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32070 days ago · 25 km deep · 41 km away
  4. 6.5100 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32070 days ago · 25 km deep · 23 km away
  5. 7.099 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32074 days ago · 30 km deep · 42 km away
  6. 6.5127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32074 days ago · 25 km deep · 42 km away
  7. 5.894 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32078 days ago · 25 km deep · 43 km away
  8. 6.392 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32079 days ago · 25 km deep · 39 km away
  9. 5.7136 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32080 days ago · 25 km deep · 58 km away
  10. 5.6151 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32081 days ago · 25 km deep · 68 km away
  11. 5.7127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32082 days ago · 25 km deep · 45 km away
  12. 6.0149 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32082 days ago · 25 km deep · 65 km away
  13. 6.8155 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32082 days ago · 25 km deep · 72 km away
  14. 6.271 km ESE of Namie, Japan · 32087 days ago · 25 km deep · 70 km away
  15. 6.2165 km ESE of Namie, Japan · 32090 days ago · 25 km deep · 96 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem902866. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:33 PM UTC.