Significant M5.3 Earthquake hit near Koga in Japan on Tuesday Evening.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on June 16th, 2026. Last updated July 11th, 2026.

In the evening of Tuesday June 16th, 2026, a significant MAG-5.3 earthquake hit under land 2 kilometer from Koga in Japan. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Roughly 51 million people may have felt this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Japan, 2 kilometer (1 mi) southwest of Koga in Ibaraki. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 64 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jun 16, 2026 19:46 (Tokyo Time) - Jun 16, 2026 10:46 Universal Time.
Location:	2 km SW of Koga, Ibaraki, Japan. Coordinates 36°10'17"N 139°41'58"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.3 Detected by 18 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.073 .
Depth:	64 km (40 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

The US Geographic Survey (USGS) describes the impact of this earthquake as follows:

Two people injured in Gunma and 16 homes damaged in Saitama.

Based on scientific estimates by the 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 51 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 51 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 42,430,000 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Japan .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
68,300	II	Very weak	None
8,901,000	III	Weak	Probably none
42,430,000	IV	Light	Likely none
0	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 . Koga in Ibaraki, Japan is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 2 kilometer (1 mi) southwest of Koga. Koga experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Tokyo is located 54 km to the south and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Yokohama is located 82 km to the south and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Saitama is located 30 km to the south and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
2 km (1 mi) NE from epicenter	Koga Ibaraki, Japan.	IV Light
4 km (2 mi) S from epicenter	Kurihashi Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
10 km (6 mi) NW from epicenter	Fujioka Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
11 km (7 mi) SW from epicenter	Kazo Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
11 km (7 mi) S from epicenter	Satte Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
12 km (7 mi) SE from epicenter	Sakai Ibaraki, Japan.	IV Light
12 km (7 mi) S from epicenter	Kukichūō Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
13 km (8 mi) SW from epicenter	Kisai Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
15 km (9 mi) W from epicenter	Hanyū Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
15 km (9 mi) SW from epicenter	Shōbu Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
16 km (10 mi) S from epicenter	Sugito Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
17 km (11 mi) NE from epicenter	Oyama Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
17 km (11 mi) S from epicenter	Shiraoka Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
17 km (11 mi) NW from epicenter	Tatebayashi Gunma, Japan.	IV Light
19 km (12 mi) NW from epicenter	Sano Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
20 km (12 mi) SW from epicenter	Kōnosu Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
21 km (13 mi) S from epicenter	Kasukabe Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
22 km (14 mi) W from epicenter	Gyōda Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
22 km (14 mi) NE from epicenter	Yūki Ibaraki, Japan.	IV Light
23 km (14 mi) SW from epicenter	Okegawa Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
23 km (14 mi) SE from epicenter	Iwai Ibaraki, Japan.	IV Light
23 km (14 mi) S from epicenter	Hasuda Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
23 km (14 mi) S from epicenter	Iwatsuki Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
24 km (15 mi) S from epicenter	Ageoshimo Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
24 km (15 mi) N from epicenter	Tochigi Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
28 km (17 mi) W from epicenter	Kumagaya Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
29 km (18 mi) SE from epicenter	Noda Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
29 km (18 mi) NW from epicenter	Ashikaga Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
30 km (19 mi) S from epicenter	Saitama Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
32 km (20 mi) S from epicenter	Koshigaya Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
33 km (21 mi) S from epicenter	Yono Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
33 km (21 mi) NW from epicenter	Ōta Gunma, Japan.	IV Light
35 km (22 mi) SW from epicenter	Kawagoe Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
36 km (22 mi) E from epicenter	Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan.	IV Light
37 km (23 mi) W from epicenter	Fukayachō Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
38 km (24 mi) S from epicenter	Sōka Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
40 km (25 mi) SE from epicenter	Nagareyama Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
40 km (25 mi) S from epicenter	Shimotoda Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
41 km (25 mi) S from epicenter	Kawaguchi Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
43 km (27 mi) SE from epicenter	Kashiwa Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
44 km (27 mi) SW from epicenter	Sayama Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
46 km (29 mi) SW from epicenter	Tokorozawa Saitama, Japan.	IV Light
47 km (29 mi) N from epicenter	Utsunomiya Tochigi, Japan.	IV Light
47 km (29 mi) SE from epicenter	Matsudo Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
54 km (34 mi) S from epicenter	Tokyo Tokyo, Japan.	IV Light
58 km (36 mi) SE from epicenter	Honchō Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
61 km (38 mi) NW from epicenter	Maebashi Gunma, Japan.	IV Light
67 km (42 mi) SW from epicenter	Hachiōji Tokyo, Japan.	IV Light
72 km (45 mi) S from epicenter	Kawasaki Kanagawa, Japan.	IV Light
74 km (46 mi) SE from epicenter	Chiba Chiba, Japan.	IV Light
81 km (50 mi) SW from epicenter	Uenohara Yamanashi, Japan.	IV Light
82 km (51 mi) S from epicenter	Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan.	IV Light
144 km (89 mi) NE from epicenter	Iwaki Fukushima, Japan.	III Weak
146 km (91 mi) W from epicenter	Nagano Nagano, Japan.	III Weak
178 km (111 mi) SW from epicenter	Shizuoka Shizuoka, Japan.	III Weak
197 km (122 mi) N from epicenter	Yonezawa Yamagata, Japan.
200 km (124 mi) N from epicenter	Niigata Niigata, Japan.
230 km (143 mi) W from epicenter	Toyama Toyama, Japan.
255 km (158 mi) NE from epicenter	Sendai Miyagi, Japan.
275 km (171 mi) SW from epicenter	Nagoya Aichi, Japan.
278 km (173 mi) W from epicenter	Gifu-shi Gifu, Japan.
280 km (174 mi) W from epicenter	Kanazawa Ishikawa, Japan.
289 km (180 mi) W from epicenter	Ono Fukui, Japan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is IV.

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 116 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 116 people have reported shaking in 51 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:

Tokyo, Tokio, Japan: 45 people.
Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan: 7 people.
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan: 5 people.
Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan: 3 people.
Naka, Ibaraki, Japan: 2 people.
Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan: 2 people.
Urayasu, Chiba, Japan: 2 people.
Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan: 2 people.
Komae, Tokio, Japan: 2 people.
Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan: 2 people.

3 Aftershocks detected

This main shock was followed by 3 smaller aftershocks. At a distance of 36 km (22 mi) south-east of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 9 mins later. It measured a magnitude of 4.4

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.3	Jun 16, 2026 19:46 (Tokyo Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.4	9 mins later Jun 16, 2026 19:55 (Tokyo Time)	36 km (22 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 3.0	2 hrs later Jun 16, 2026 21:50 (Tokyo Time)	20 km (12 mi) SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock	M 3.2	9 hrs later Jun 17, 2026 05:06 (Tokyo Time)	31 km (19 mi) NE from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

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 happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since October 4th, 2025, when a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit 216 km (134 mi) further north-east. An even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on January 1st, 2024.

In total, 85 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 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 month.

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 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 64 km (40 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 11/07/26 00:38 (). 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.