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Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region

Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region

The Sun12 hours ago
TOKYO: Japanese authorities urged the 89 residents of a small southern island to evacuate after a strong earthquake on Thursday, the latest of more than 1,000 recent jolts to hit the area.
Residents were urged to evacuate to 'a school playground in Akuseki Island', a municipal official told AFP.
Akuseki is part of the Tokara island chain south of Kyushu region, which has been rattled by 1,031 quakes since June 21.
No major damage has been reported.
On Thursday, a 5.5 magnitude quake struck near Akuseki. The previous day a jolt of the same size was also recorded.
Seven of the 12 remote Tokara Islands are inhabited, with around 700 residents in total.
There was no tsunami risk from Thursday's quake, according to Ayataka Ebita, director of the earthquake and tsunami observation division of the Japan Meteorological Agency.
'In areas where the tremors were strong, there is an increased risk of collapsed houses and landslides,' he told reporters.
'Please be aware of earthquakes of similar magnitude for the foreseeable future,' he said.
A similar period of intense seismic activity in the Tokara area occurred in September 2023, when 346 earthquakes were recorded, according to the JMA.
Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'.
The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences around 1,500 jolts every year and accounts for about 18 percent of the world's earthquakes.
In 2011, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75-82 percent.
The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a 'megaquake' and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damages of up to $2 trillion.
This week, the government released a report saying much more needed to be done to prepare for such a megaquake.
Some foreign tourists have held off coming to Japan due to unfounded fears fanned by social media that a major quake is imminent.
Causing particular concern is a manga comic reissued in 2021 which predicted a major disaster on July 5, 2025.
'We are aware that such tales are circulating, but that is a hoax,' Ebita at the JMA said.
'With today's science and technology, it is not possible to predict earthquakes.' – AFP
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Japan briefly orders evacuation as 1,000 quakes shake Tokara Islands since June
Japan briefly orders evacuation as 1,000 quakes shake Tokara Islands since June

Malay Mail

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  • Malay Mail

Japan briefly orders evacuation as 1,000 quakes shake Tokara Islands since June

TOKYO, July 3 — Japanese authorities urged the 89 residents of a small southern island to evacuate after a strong earthquake today, the latest of more than 1,000 recent jolts to hit the area. Residents were urged to evacuate to 'a school playground in Akuseki Island,' a municipal official told AFP. Akuseki is part of the Tokara island chain south of Kyushu region, which has been rattled by 1,031 quakes since June 21. No major damage has been reported. After all residents were confirmed safe, the evacuation instruction was later lifted. Today, a 5.5 magnitude quake struck near Akuseki. Yesterday, a jolt of the same size was also recorded. Seven of the 12 remote Tokara Islands are inhabited, with around 700 residents in total. There was no tsunami risk from today's quake, according to Ayataka Ebita, director of the earthquake and tsunami observation division of the Japan Meteorological Agency. 'In areas where the tremors were strong, there is an increased risk of collapsed houses and landslides,' he told reporters. 'Please be aware of earthquakes of similar magnitude for the foreseeable future,' he said. A similar period of intense seismic activity in the Tokara area occurred in September 2023, when 346 earthquakes were recorded, according to the JMA. Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'. The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences around 1,500 jolts every year and accounts for about 18 per cent of the world's earthquakes. In 2011, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75–82 per cent. The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a 'megaquake' and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damages of up to US$2 trillion. This week, the government released a report saying much more needed to be done to prepare for such a megaquake. Some foreign tourists have held off coming to Japan due to unfounded fears fanned by social media that a major quake is imminent. Causing particular concern is a manga comic reissued in 2021 which predicted a major disaster on July 5, 2025. 'We are aware that such tales are circulating, but that is a hoax,' Ebita at the JMA said. 'With today's science and technology, it is not possible to predict earthquakes.' — AFP

Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region
Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region

The Sun

time12 hours ago

  • The Sun

Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region

TOKYO: Japanese authorities urged the 89 residents of a small southern island to evacuate after a strong earthquake on Thursday, the latest of more than 1,000 recent jolts to hit the area. Residents were urged to evacuate to 'a school playground in Akuseki Island', a municipal official told AFP. Akuseki is part of the Tokara island chain south of Kyushu region, which has been rattled by 1,031 quakes since June 21. No major damage has been reported. On Thursday, a 5.5 magnitude quake struck near Akuseki. The previous day a jolt of the same size was also recorded. Seven of the 12 remote Tokara Islands are inhabited, with around 700 residents in total. There was no tsunami risk from Thursday's quake, according to Ayataka Ebita, director of the earthquake and tsunami observation division of the Japan Meteorological Agency. 'In areas where the tremors were strong, there is an increased risk of collapsed houses and landslides,' he told reporters. 'Please be aware of earthquakes of similar magnitude for the foreseeable future,' he said. A similar period of intense seismic activity in the Tokara area occurred in September 2023, when 346 earthquakes were recorded, according to the JMA. Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'. The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences around 1,500 jolts every year and accounts for about 18 percent of the world's earthquakes. In 2011, a magnitude-9.0 quake triggered a tsunami that left 18,500 people dead or missing and caused a devastating meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75-82 percent. The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a 'megaquake' and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damages of up to $2 trillion. This week, the government released a report saying much more needed to be done to prepare for such a megaquake. Some foreign tourists have held off coming to Japan due to unfounded fears fanned by social media that a major quake is imminent. Causing particular concern is a manga comic reissued in 2021 which predicted a major disaster on July 5, 2025. 'We are aware that such tales are circulating, but that is a hoax,' Ebita at the JMA said. 'With today's science and technology, it is not possible to predict earthquakes.' – AFP

Update: China to launch exhibition for 80th anniversary of victory against Japanese aggression, fascism
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Malaysia Sun

time12 hours ago

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Update: China to launch exhibition for 80th anniversary of victory against Japanese aggression, fascism

BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- China will open a themed exhibition on July 7 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Held at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, the exhibition will feature 1,525 photographs and 3,237 artifacts, said Luo Cunkang, curator of the museum, at a State Council Information Office press conference Thursday. It will become part of the museum's permanent display. Divided into eight sections, the exhibition employs a range of modern display techniques to bring history to life, combining rare artifacts, archival documents, historical footage, artworks, and immersive recreations of key moments. The exhibition traces the 14-year war of resistance against Japanese aggression from 1931 to 1945, highlighting how the Chinese people, under the Communist Party of China (CPC)-led national united front, fought for survival, national revival, and a broader struggle for human justice, Luo said. The display features newly found documents that reveal how the CPC was the first to initiate armed resistance against Japan and emerged as the vanguard of the nation's war effort. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the first to break out and lasted the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War, resulting in over 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties. In the main Eastern battlefield in the global fight against fascism, China's resistance effort was decisive in defeating Japanese fascism and supporting other fronts in Europe and Asia, profoundly contributing to the final victory and world peace.

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