A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Miyagi region, Japan, on Friday evening, raising safety concerns for travellers. The quake occurred at 8.22pm local time at a depth of around 50km, and no tsunami warnings have been issued.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has not updated its travel advice for Japan, but general guidance warns that the country is in a major earthquake zone. Travellers are advised to follow instructions in hotels and train stations and heed local authority advice. Earthquake and tsunami alerts can be monitored via the Japan Meteorological Agency website.
Japanese authorities issued emergency warnings for five prefectures but confirmed no immediate tsunami risk. The quake registered a 5 on Japan's seismic scale (out of 7) in some areas, including the cities of Tome, Osaki, and Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture.
Transport disruptions have been reported, with hundreds of flights delayed, including at Sendai airport. JR East suspended high-speed rail services between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori. No injuries or significant damage have been reported so far.
As the FCDO has not advised against non-essential travel to Japan, standard cancellation policies apply. Travellers wishing to cancel due to earthquake concerns should contact their holiday provider, but refunds are not guaranteed unless government advice changes.
