At 11:15 p.m. on December 8, 2025, a violent tremor suddenly tore through the freezing night of northern Japan. A magnitude (Mw) 7.4 earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Aomori Prefecture, registering a maximum intensity of Upper 6 (Shindo 6-strong) in Hachinohe City, Aomori, and severe shaking ranging from Lower 6 to Upper 6 across a wide area from Hokkaido down through Iwate Prefecture.