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Chinese Embassy in Japan reminded Chinese nationals in Japan early Tuesday morning to take precautions against earthquake disasters after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit northern and northeastern Japan on Monday night. 

According to the notice issued by the Chinese Embassy, information released by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) shows the 7.5-magnitude earthquake at the depth of 50 kilometers struck the sea area near Aomori Prefecture, Japan at 11:15 pm on Monday, with multiple aftershocks followed. The JMA issued tsunami warnings for Hokkaido and the Pacific coastal prefectures of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima. 

On Tuesday morning, the JMA also reported a 5.1-magnitude earthquake occurred in the sea east of Aomori Prefecture at 8:59 am. As of 9 am on Tuesday, 15 aftershocks had occurred in the affected area, China Central Television reported on Tuesday.

A government expert panel in Japan will soon release the latest summary of loss estimates for a potential earthquake directly beneath Tokyo, the Chinese Embassy’s statement said, citing Japanese media reports on December 5. A “directly beneath” earthquake refers to a type of earthquake whose epicenter is located directly under a city or densely populated area, as well as nearby regions. 
The summary indicates that if a magnitude 7.3 earthquake strikes Tokyo, it could result in 18,000 deaths and economic losses of 83 trillion yen ($53.26 billion). It is estimated that around 400,000 buildings would collapse or be destroyed by fire, 4.8 million people would need to evacuate to public shelters or other facilities, and approximately 16 million households would experience power outages.

The Chinese Embassy in Japan reminded Chinese nationals in the country to pay close attention to earthquake developments, weather warnings, and disaster prevention information, to follow the local government’s instructions for prevention and evacuation, and to raise awareness of self-protection, and to strengthen personal safety measures. 

On Monday, the JMA has issued a tsunami advisory for the eastern coast of the prefecture and other areas along the Pacific coast.

The waves are expected to be up to 3 meters high in many areas, according to The Japan Times.

Based on preliminary earthquake parameters, the tsunami warning center of the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources has assessed that the earthquake may trigger a localized tsunami near the epicenter, but it will not affect China's coastal areas. The center will continue to track and analyze earthquake and tsunami monitoring data and will release updates in a timely manner, it said.

The Chinese Consulate-General in Sapporo reminded on Monday Chinese nationals in its consular district, especially those in Hokkaido, the Pacific coastal areas of Aomori Prefecture, and Iwate Prefecture, to stay informed of the latest updates through official channels, follow evacuation orders issued by local authorities, prepare for emergency evacuation, stay away from coastal areas, and ensure personal safety.

The consulate also noted that tsunami waves may strike repeatedly, so do not approach the coast to retrieve belongings or observe the situation.

Global Times