Earthquakes in Japan — January 2026

55 earthquakes were recorded in Japan during January 2026, an average of 1.8 per day.

55 reached magnitude 4 or above and 16 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 75 km.

The month's largest event in Japan was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake near Volcano Islands, Japan on 21 January 2026 at 16:37 UTC. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake radiates roughly 21,301 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is close to the Japan monthly average of 57 events over the period we cover, and down from the 80 recorded the previous month.

73% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 20% intermediate (70–300 km) and 7% deep-focus (over 300 km). That proportion of deep-focus events is the signature of a subduction zone: only a cold slab descending into the mantle stays brittle enough to rupture at those depths.

By band, the catalogue holds 39 in the magnitude 4 range, 15 in the magnitude 5 range, 1 in the magnitude 6 range.

Activity peaked on 06 January, when 6 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M6.1 near Volcano Islands, Japan on 21 January at 25 km; M5.7 near Matsue, Japan on 06 January at 10 km; M5.6 near Akkeshi, Japan on 14 January at 12 km.

That is close to the 57 events Japan averages per month across the 21 months on record.