M5.3 earthquake - 202 km SE of Kushimoto, Japan

What happened

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 202 km SE of Kushimoto, Japan on 12 Dec 2025, 19:03 UTC at a depth of 367 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Moderate. Can damage poorly built structures close to the epicentre. This was a deep earthquake; shaking at the surface is usually weak for its size.

The nearest town in our records is Kushimoto, about 202 km away in Wakayama, Japan.