On Saturday Evening a Significant M5.7 Earthquake struck near Minato in Japan.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on May 2nd, 2026.

Under land 33 kilometer from Minato in Japan, a significant M5.7 earthquake occurred in the evening of Saturday May 2nd, 2026. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Roughly 36 million people may have felt this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Japan, 33 kilometer (21 mi) east of Minato in Wakayama. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 59 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	May 2, 2026 18:28 (Tokyo Time) - May 2, 2026 09:28 Universal Time.
Location:	33 km east of Minato, Wakayama, Japan. Coordinates 34°6'25"N 135°29'9"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.7 Detected by 29 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.058 .
Depth:	59 km (37 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 36 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 36 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 305,600 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level IV was experienced by the majority of people (around 21 million). In their region, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Japan .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
180,300	II	Very weak	None
14,730,000	III	Weak	Probably none
20,780,000	IV	Light	Likely none
305,600	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Japan . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Iwade in Wakayama, Japan. Iwade is located 22 kilometer (14 mi) south-east of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Iwade is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Osaka is located 65 km to the north and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Kobe is located 71 km to the northwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Sakai is located 53 km to the north and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage).

An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
22 km (14 mi) NW from epicenter	Iwade Wakayama, Japan.	IV Light
25 km (16 mi) W from epicenter	Kainan Wakayama, Japan.	V Moderate
26 km (16 mi) NE from epicenter	Hashimoto Wakayama, Japan.	IV Light
33 km (21 mi) W from epicenter	Minato Wakayama, Japan.	IV Light
33 km (21 mi) NE from epicenter	Gojō Nara, Japan.	IV Light
33 km (21 mi) NW from epicenter	Wakayama Wakayama, Japan.	V Moderate
38 km (24 mi) SW from epicenter	Gobō Wakayama, Japan.	V Moderate
38 km (24 mi) NW from epicenter	Izumisano Ōsaka, Japan.	V Moderate
40 km (25 mi) N from epicenter	Kaizuka Ōsaka, Japan.	V Moderate
41 km (25 mi) N from epicenter	Kishiwada Ōsaka, Japan.	V Moderate
42 km (26 mi) N from epicenter	Izumi Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
43 km (27 mi) S from epicenter	Tanabe Wakayama, Japan.	IV Light
44 km (27 mi) NE from epicenter	Gose Nara, Japan.	IV Light
44 km (27 mi) N from epicenter	Izumiōtsu Ōsaka, Japan.	V Moderate
45 km (28 mi) N from epicenter	Tondabayashichō Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
46 km (29 mi) N from epicenter	Takaishi Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
51 km (32 mi) N from epicenter	Matsubara Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
53 km (33 mi) NE from epicenter	Kashihara-shi Nara, Japan.	IV Light
53 km (33 mi) N from epicenter	Sakai Ōsaka, Japan.	V Moderate
54 km (34 mi) N from epicenter	Kashihara Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
55 km (34 mi) NE from epicenter	Sakurai Nara, Japan.	IV Light
58 km (36 mi) N from epicenter	Yao Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
62 km (39 mi) NE from epicenter	Tenri Nara, Japan.	IV Light
65 km (40 mi) N from epicenter	Osaka Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
67 km (42 mi) N from epicenter	Ikoma Nara, Japan.	IV Light
68 km (42 mi) N from epicenter	Amagasaki Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
69 km (43 mi) N from epicenter	Daitō Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
69 km (43 mi) N from epicenter	Nishinomiya-hama Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
70 km (43 mi) N from epicenter	Moriguchi Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
71 km (44 mi) N from epicenter	Ashiya Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
71 km (44 mi) NE from epicenter	Nara-shi Nara, Japan.	IV Light
71 km (44 mi) N from epicenter	Kadoma Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
71 km (44 mi) NW from epicenter	Kobe Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
73 km (45 mi) N from epicenter	Suita Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
74 km (46 mi) N from epicenter	Neyagawa Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
75 km (47 mi) N from epicenter	Toyonaka Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
75 km (47 mi) NW from epicenter	Akashi Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
76 km (47 mi) N from epicenter	Itami Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
78 km (48 mi) N from epicenter	Takarazuka Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
79 km (49 mi) NE from epicenter	Nabari Mie, Japan.	IV Light
79 km (49 mi) N from epicenter	Ibaraki Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
79 km (49 mi) N from epicenter	Kawanishi Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
80 km (50 mi) N from epicenter	Mino Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
80 km (50 mi) N from epicenter	Ikeda Ōsaka, Japan.	III Weak
80 km (50 mi) N from epicenter	Hirakata Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
83 km (52 mi) N from epicenter	Takatsuki Ōsaka, Japan.	IV Light
85 km (53 mi) W from epicenter	Tokushima Tokushima, Japan.	IV Light
90 km (56 mi) N from epicenter	Sandachō Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
92 km (57 mi) N from epicenter	Uji Kyoto, Japan.	IV Light
95 km (59 mi) NW from epicenter	Kakogawachō-honmachi Hyōgo, Japan.	IV Light
105 km (65 mi) N from epicenter	Kyoto Kyoto, Japan.	IV Light
105 km (65 mi) N from epicenter	Ōtsu Shiga, Japan.	IV Light
134 km (83 mi) W from epicenter	Takamatsu Kagawa, Japan.	IV Light
155 km (96 mi) W from epicenter	Okayama Okayama, Japan.	IV Light
177 km (110 mi) NE from epicenter	Nagoya Aichi, Japan.	IV Light
179 km (111 mi) N from epicenter	Tsuruga Fukui, Japan.	III Weak
187 km (116 mi) NE from epicenter	Gifu-shi Gifu, Japan.	III Weak
191 km (119 mi) W from epicenter	Kochi Kōchi, Japan.	III Weak
193 km (120 mi) NW from epicenter	Tottori Tottori, Japan.	III Weak
199 km (124 mi) W from epicenter	Fukuyama Hirochima, Japan.
216 km (134 mi) E from epicenter	Hamamatsu Shizuoka, Japan.
253 km (157 mi) W from epicenter	Matsuyama Ehime, Japan.
265 km (165 mi) NE from epicenter	Iida Nagano, Japan.
270 km (168 mi) NW from epicenter	Matsue Shimane, Japan.
296 km (184 mi) N from epicenter	Kanazawa Ishikawa, Japan.
300 km (186 mi) NE from epicenter	Fukumitsu Toyama, Japan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is V. The map below shows in which areas this earthquake was the most and least impactful. It is based on data from the US Geographic Survey.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 28 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 28 people have reported shaking in 15 places, all within Japan.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Ōsaka, Ōsaka, Japan: 9 people.
Kyōto, Kyōto, Japan: 5 people.
Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan: 2 people.
Ōyodo, Nara, Japan: 1 person.
Nagoya, Aichi, Japan: 1 person.
Anjō, Aichi, Japan: 1 person.
Kobe, Hyogo, Japan: 1 person.
Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan: 1 person.
Ashiya, Hyōgo, Japan: 1 person.
Ōsakasayama, Ōsaka, Japan: 1 person.

Risk of aftershocks?

We monitor for foreshocks or aftershocks that have a magnitude of 2.5+ and occur within 100km (62 mi) of the epicenter of this earthquake. So far no such earthquakes have been detected.

Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since February 26th, 2025, when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit 99 km (61 mi) further south-east. An even stronger magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck on July 27th, 2019.

In total, 5 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.7 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 years.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor	Under Sea?	MAG-6.5 or stronger?	Shallow depth?
Explanation	Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami.	Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.	Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.7. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 59 km (37 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 02/05/26 11:58 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.