June 12, 1968 Earthquake: Sanriku, Japan
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan on June 12, 1968 at 13:41:50 UTC, 44 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- June 12, 1968
- Time
- 13:41:50 UTC
- Place
- Sanriku, Japan
- Magnitude
- 7.2 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 44 km (27 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 39.400° N, 143.100° E
- Country
- Japan
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #45:
June 12, 1968, 13:41:50.7 UTC, 39.5 N, 142.7 E, magnitude 7.0 MS. depth 44 km. Near east coast of Honshu, Japan. felt. A slight tsunami was generated.
Reference #1039:
June 12, 1968, 13:41 UTC, 39.5 N, 142.7 E, magnitude 6.0 mb 7.8 MS, depth 45 km. Local Tsunami at Hachinohe- wave .39 m in range began at 1437Z; in S.E. Honshu- wave .65 m in range recorded at 1425Z.
Reference #414:
1968, June 12, 22:41 local time. An aftershock of the earthquake of May 16, or an independent earthquake, was felt in the region of Tohoku with a force of 6 degrees (IV JMA), and was accompanied by aftershocks. The source extended along Honshu Island. The mechanism of the source was the same as in the earthquake of May 16. The tsunami which arose was observed on the Sanriku coast and was registered by many tide gauges.
[12.VI; 13h41m57s; 39.5 N., 142.8 E.; M=7.2.]
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 15, 1896, Sanriku, Japan
- March 11, 2011, Honshu, Japan
- December 2, 1611, Sanriku, Japan
- March 2, 1933, Sanriku, Japan
- February 17, 1793, Sanriku,rikuzen,rikuchu, Japan
- August 31, 1896, Senhoku, Ugo, Japan
- December 6, 1616, Sanriku, Japan
- May 16, 1968, Off East Coast of Honshu Island, Japan
- June 12, 1978, Sanriku, Japan
- August 23, 1856, Oshima, Japan
- June 13, 2008, Tokyo, Honshu, Japan
- August 9, 1901, Off Northeast Coast Honshu, Japan
- December 28, 1994, Honshu, Japan
- April 7, 2011, Near E Coast Honshu, Japan
- October 2, 1678, Sanriku,rikuchu, Japan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1968The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1968Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4443.