Magnitude‑5.7 quake rattles central Japan, injures 22

A magnitude‑5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday, injuring at least 22 people. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded the quake at 5.7, while the U.S. Geological Survey gave it a magnitude of 5.5. The tremor hit at 1:04 a.m. local time, about 40 km beneath the surface in Shizuoka Prefecture. The shaking was strongest in neighboring Aichi Prefecture and spread to Hamamatsu city, the historic capitals Kyoto and Nara, as well as Yamanashi Prefecture, home to Mount Fuji, and Gifu Prefecture. Local news outlets reported broken storefront windows and glass scattered on streets. A bookstore’s shelves collapsed, sending piles of books onto the floor. Several of the injured fell down stairs while trying to escape the buildings. Smaller aftershocks followed the main shock. The Shinkansen bullet trains in the affected zones reduced speed as a precaution, though no rail damage was reported. A staff member of the Japan Meteorological Agency briefed reporters in Tokyo after the event. Tokyo, located farther away, did not feel the quake. The earthquake’s depth of 40 km limited surface impact compared with shallower quakes. Authorities inspected the rail network before allowing normal train speeds to resume. ## Context Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it one of the world’s most seismically active regions. Earthquakes of this size commonly cause surface damage and prompt temporary train speed reductions, but deeper quakes often spare the capital city from strong shaking.