Uncertainty over southern Japan's waters as a series of unprecedented earthquakes continue to occur in the Tokara Islands, in Toshima Village, Kagoshima Prefecture, forced dozens of residents to evacuate in the middle of the night.
From June 21 to the early morning of July 7, this area has suffered 1,582 earthquakes, many of which were strong enough to be clearly felt on the surface.
According to information from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), at 0:08 on July 7 (local time), a 4.3-magnitude earthquake with a depth of 20km occurred near the Tokara Islands (29.4 degrees north latitude, 129.4 degrees east longitude), with a shaking of level 4 on Japan's 7-magnitude earthquake scale. Fortunately, no Tsunami warnings were issued.
Experts say this dense seismic activity may be related to an underground volcano and magma flow moving under the seabed. However, worryingly, no one knows when the shake-ups will stop.
"We cannot predict what will happen in the coming time and cannot say when this phenomenon will end," said Mr. Kubo Genichiro, Head of sharima Village, Kagoshima Prefecture.
On Akuseki Island, 44 of the total 89 residents left the island for the center of Kagoshima Prefecture, along with 15 from Kodakara Island on the morning of July 6. 46 people were evacuated by ferry organized by the Toshima village government, arriving at Kagoshima port that evening.
This is the second time Akuseki has had to leave the island due to an earthquake, but the first time Kodakara residents have evacuated.
On July 3, Akuseki recorded a strong earthquake of level 6 (lower 6), the third level from above in Japan's 7-level earthquake warning system, capable of causing damage to construction works. On July 6 alone, the island suffered 3 consecutive earthquakes at level 5.
Kodakara, a neighboring island, was also on the brink of nature, with a weak Category 5 earthquake on July 2.
"Sismic activity is still very complicated," Ayataka Ebita warned at a press conference on July 6. Sized earthquakes are due to the center of the country and near the island of Akuseki, he added, urging people to be vigilant against the possibility of more weak Category 6 earthquakes in the coming time.
Japan is one of the countries most affected by earthquakes in the world, located right at the intersection of 4 large tectonic plates in the "Pacific Ring of Fire". On average, the country records about 1,500 earthquakes per year, accounting for 18% of the total number of global earthquakes.
However, people in the Tokara region have never had to live in a state of almost non-stop shaking for more than 2 weeks, leading to serious mental stress and constant insomnia.
Meanwhile, a comic book that was reprinted in 2021 caused a stir when it "preached" a terrible earthquake and Tsunami disaster that occurred on July 5, 2025. The disaster did not happen but caused many international tourists to cancel their plans to Japan due to unfounded concerns.
