Japan earthquakes

M5.8 earthquake 59 km E of Iwaki, Japan

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck 59 km E of Iwaki, Japan on Fri, Dec 23, 1938, 10:51 AM JST (01:51 UTC), 25 km (16 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M6.5 103 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
1938-12-23 01:51:39 UTC
Depth
25.0 km (15.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
37.048° N, 141.552° 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
±0.24
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 11 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 5.733 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32018 days ago · 35 km deep · 26 km away
  2. 6.5103 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 31995 days ago · 35 km deep · 46 km away

Before

  1. 5.786 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32060 days ago · 25 km deep · 41 km away
  2. 5.9142 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32064 days ago · 25 km deep · 87 km away
  3. 5.859 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32068 days ago · 25 km deep · 6 km away
  4. 5.877 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32069 days ago · 25 km deep · 18 km away
  5. 6.5100 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32070 days ago · 25 km deep · 45 km away
  6. 7.099 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32073 days ago · 30 km deep · 40 km away
  7. 6.5127 km ESE of Iwaki, Japan · 32074 days ago · 25 km deep · 73 km away
  8. 5.8off the east coast of Honshu, Japan · 32077 days ago · 25 km deep · 97 km away
  9. 5.894 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32077 days ago · 25 km deep · 35 km away
  10. 6.392 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32078 days ago · 25 km deep · 33 km away
  11. 5.7136 km E of Iwaki, Japan · 32080 days ago · 25 km deep · 78 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem902885. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:11 AM UTC.