Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Japan region

Japan region ranks 12th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team

6,324
M4+ events (since 2005): 158
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.9
Strongest: ~301
M4+ per year

The verdict

Japan region has logged 6,324 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 158 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.9.

#12
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 6,324
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M7.9
strongest earthquake on record: 158
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

2013

2
2014

2
2015

5
2016

2
2017

2
2018

1
2019

1
2020

1
2021

1
2023

6
2024

3
2026

2

What this shows Japan region's most active year for major earthquakes was 2023 (6 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 158 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Japan region.

M7.0-7.9

11.4%

M6.0-6.9

140

88.6%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 158 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 172 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

57.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

12.7% of events

Deep (>300 km)

30.4% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Japan region

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
7.9	Volcano Islands, Japan region	200.0 km	Nov 24, 1914
7.8	Bonin Islands, Japan region	664.0 km	May 30, 2015
7.6	Volcano Islands, Japan region	126.5 km	Mar 28, 2000
7.5	Volcano Islands, Japan region	260.0 km	Sep 28, 2007
7.5	Volcano Islands, Japan region	35.0 km	Feb 24, 1934
7.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	14.0 km	Dec 21, 2010
7.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	394.8 km	Aug 6, 2000
7.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	457.4 km	Mar 6, 1984
7.3	Bonin Islands, Japan region	500.0 km	Oct 7, 1968
7.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	484.1 km	Feb 18, 1956

Significant earthquake record (158 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Japan region since 1900, most recent first.

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.0	Volcano Islands, Japan region	20.0 km	Mar 2, 2026
6.1	Volcano Islands, Japan region	8.0 km	Jan 21, 2026
6.2	Bonin Islands, Japan region	546.0 km	Jul 7, 2024
6.5	Bonin Islands, Japan region	496.0 km	Apr 27, 2024
6.1	Volcano Islands, Japan region	236.0 km	Feb 12, 2024
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Oct 6, 2023
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Oct 5, 2023
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Oct 3, 2023
6.0	Hokkaido, Japan region	37.0 km	Mar 28, 2023
6.0	Hokkaido, Japan region	55.0 km	Feb 25, 2023
6.3	Bonin Islands, Japan region	405.0 km	Jan 16, 2023
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	11.0 km	Nov 29, 2021
6.6	Bonin Islands, Japan region	453.0 km	Apr 18, 2020
6.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	422.0 km	Jun 4, 2019
6.3	Volcano Islands, Japan region	20.0 km	Aug 16, 2018
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	12.0 km	Nov 9, 2017
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	451.0 km	Sep 7, 2017
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	9.0 km	Sep 20, 2016
6.3	Volcano Islands, Japan region	510.0 km	Aug 4, 2016
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	8.0 km	Sep 1, 2015
6.5	Bonin Islands, Japan region	460.0 km	Jun 23, 2015
6.2	Izu Islands, Japan region	6.0 km	May 30, 2015
7.8	Bonin Islands, Japan region	664.0 km	May 30, 2015
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	6.0 km	May 10, 2015
6.2	Bonin Islands, Japan region	511.0 km	Jun 30, 2014
6.2	Volcano Islands, Japan region	48.0 km	Jun 29, 2014
6.5	Izu Islands, Japan region	402.0 km	Sep 4, 2013
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	421.9 km	Apr 21, 2013
6.0	Bonin Islands, Japan region	487.4 km	May 26, 2012
6.8	Izu Islands, Japan region	365.3 km	Jan 1, 2012
6.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	512.0 km	Jan 12, 2011
6.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	18.0 km	Dec 22, 2010
7.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	14.0 km	Dec 21, 2010
6.8	Bonin Islands, Japan region	470.0 km	Nov 30, 2010
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	84.0 km	May 3, 2010
6.0	Bonin Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Mar 14, 2008
6.2	Bonin Islands, Japan region	15.0 km	Feb 27, 2008
7.5	Volcano Islands, Japan region	260.0 km	Sep 28, 2007
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	139.6 km	Mar 8, 2007
6.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	11.0 km	Oct 23, 2006
6.3	Bonin Islands, Japan region	24.0 km	Feb 9, 2005
6.0	Volcano Islands, Japan region	101.0 km	Nov 11, 2003
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	9.0 km	Aug 20, 2002
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	426.1 km	Aug 2, 2002
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Apr 14, 2001
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	388.0 km	Oct 27, 2000
7.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	394.8 km	Aug 6, 2000
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	485.3 km	Jun 9, 2000
7.6	Volcano Islands, Japan region	126.5 km	Mar 28, 2000
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	430.6 km	Jul 3, 1999
7.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	440.5 km	Aug 20, 1998
6.4	Volcano Islands, Japan region	525.3 km	Feb 7, 1998
6.3	Volcano Islands, Japan region	95.6 km	Jan 1, 1998
6.2	Izu Islands, Japan region	86.0 km	Nov 10, 1997
6.2	Izu Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Sep 30, 1997
6.6	Bonin Islands, Japan region	9.0 km	Nov 6, 1996
6.3	Bonin Islands, Japan region	468.5 km	Jun 26, 1996
6.7	Bonin Islands, Japan region	477.2 km	Mar 16, 1996
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	430.8 km	Oct 1, 1995
6.5	Izu Islands, Japan region	393.1 km	Oct 30, 1992
6.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	15.5 km	Aug 11, 1992
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	20.2 km	May 30, 1992
6.0	Izu Islands, Japan region	18.6 km	May 29, 1992
6.7	Bonin Islands, Japan region	498.5 km	Jan 20, 1992
6.7	Bonin Islands, Japan region	433.1 km	May 3, 1991
6.5	Izu Islands, Japan region	496.2 km	Aug 5, 1990
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	84.6 km	Apr 27, 1989
6.7	Izu Islands, Japan region	485.1 km	Sep 7, 1988
6.0	Volcano Islands, Japan region	39.3 km	Dec 15, 1987
6.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	164.0 km	Dec 12, 1987
6.5	Bonin Islands, Japan region	508.0 km	Feb 3, 1986
6.2	Bonin Islands, Japan region	41.5 km	Nov 8, 1985
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	478.1 km	Oct 4, 1985
6.4	Bonin Islands, Japan region	501.0 km	Sep 10, 1985
6.3	Izu Islands, Japan region	420.0 km	Apr 10, 1985
6.5	Bonin Islands, Japan region	468.7 km	Apr 3, 1985
6.9	Izu Islands, Japan region	403.1 km	Apr 24, 1984
7.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	457.4 km	Mar 6, 1984
6.8	Izu Islands, Japan region	175.8 km	Sep 6, 1982
6.7	Bonin Islands, Japan region	22.2 km	Jan 1, 1982
6.2	Izu Islands, Japan region	82.0 km	Dec 19, 1980
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	110.0 km	Dec 11, 1979
6.8	Volcano Islands, Japan region	33.0 km	May 26, 1978
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	263.0 km	Mar 15, 1978
6.8	Volcano Islands, Japan region	33.0 km	Dec 21, 1977
6.2	Bonin Islands, Japan region	33.0 km	Apr 21, 1977
6.1	Izu Islands, Japan region	419.0 km	Nov 29, 1974
6.0	Bonin Islands, Japan region	498.0 km	Jan 31, 1973
6.7	Izu Islands, Japan region	184.6 km	Dec 7, 1970
7.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	390.0 km	May 27, 1970
7.3	Bonin Islands, Japan region	500.0 km	Oct 7, 1968
6.1	Hokkaido, Japan region	80.0 km	Sep 19, 1967
6.7	Volcano Islands, Japan region	10.0 km	Oct 27, 1966
6.0	Volcano Islands, Japan region	80.0 km	Mar 29, 1966
6.4	Izu Islands, Japan region	21.4 km	Nov 12, 1965
6.0	Volcano Islands, Japan region	20.0 km	Apr 25, 1965
6.2	Izu Islands, Japan region	50.0 km	Jan 15, 1964
6.6	Izu Islands, Japan region	431.2 km	Dec 7, 1962
6.6	Volcano Islands, Japan region	269.1 km	May 31, 1962
6.1	Bonin Islands, Japan region	15.0 km	Dec 13, 1960

Showing the first 100 of 158 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Japan region.

Solomon Islands

6,125 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

New Zealand

7,422 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Vanuatu

7,557 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

China

4,920 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Greece

4,600 M4+ events · strongest M7.0

M7.0

Peru

4,591 M4+ events · strongest M8.0

M8.0

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Japan region? ▼

The USGS catalog records 6,324 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Japan region since 2005, an average of about 301 per year. Separately, 158 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.

What was the strongest earthquake in Japan region? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in Japan region measured magnitude 7.9. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.

How seismically active is Japan region? ▼

By catalogued M4+ activity, Japan region ranks 12th of 215 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2023, with 6.

How deep are earthquakes in Japan region? ▼

Across the 158 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 172 km. 57% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.

Where does this data come from? ▼

Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.