Japan earthquake. Photo: Shutterstock A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Uki in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, at 07:28 UTC (16:28 local time) on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, according to initial seismic data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake was centered about 4 kilometers southeast of Uki at a depth of 10 kilometers, making it a relatively shallow event that is likely to have been widely felt across Kyushu.
A tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake. However, at this initial stage, the waves are not particularly high, but rather waves one meter above average.
Officials have recommended staying away from beaches, rivers and lakes for the foreseeable future, asking residents and visitors to the area to evacuate.
Kumamoto Prefecture is no stranger to significant seismic activity. The region was heavily affected by the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, and Japan maintains one of the world's most advanced earthquake monitoring and early warning systems.