Number of significant earthquakes in Japan
Japan: Number of significant earthquakes was 3 events in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
3 events
Change on year
down 25.0%
World rank
4th
of 97 countries
All-time high
11 events
in 1938
All-time low
1 events
in 1026
Years of data
214
1026–2024
Number of significant earthquakes in Japan, 1026–2024
Source: National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in events.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of significant earthquakes in Japan is 3 events, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.0% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of significant earthquakes in Japan peaked at 11 events in 1938 and was at its lowest, 1 events, in 1026.
Japan ranks 4th of 97 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of significant earthquakes in Japan, year by year
| Year | events | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1026 | 1 events | — |
| 1088 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1096 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1099 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1241 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1257 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1293 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1331 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1341 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1360 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1361 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1403 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1406 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1408 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1433 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1448 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1495 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1498 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1510 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1520 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1545 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1586 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1589 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1596 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1597 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1602 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1605 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1611 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1614 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1615 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1616 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1619 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1633 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1640 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1642 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1644 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1646 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1647 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1649 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1659 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1662 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1666 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1667 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1670 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1671 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1676 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1677 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1678 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1680 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1694 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1698 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1700 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1703 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1704 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1707 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1708 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1711 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1714 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1715 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1717 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1726 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1729 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1730 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1731 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1732 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1739 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1751 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1762 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1763 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1766 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1768 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1769 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1770 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1771 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1772 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1782 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1793 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1802 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1830 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1833 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1854 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1855 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1857 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1861 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1863 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1876 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1880 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1895 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1896 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1897 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 1898 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1899 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1900 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1901 | 5 events | +400.0% |
| 1904 | 3 events | -40.0% |
| 1905 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1909 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 1910 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1911 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1912 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1915 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1916 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1922 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1924 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1925 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1928 | 1 events | -66.7% |
| 1929 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1933 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1935 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 1936 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1938 | 11 events | +450.0% |
| 1939 | 2 events | -81.8% |
| 1940 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1941 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1944 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1945 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1946 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1947 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1952 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1954 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1958 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1959 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1960 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1961 | 8 events | +166.7% |
| 1962 | 4 events | -50.0% |
| 1964 | 4 events | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1968 | 7 events | +600.0% |
| 1969 | 2 events | -71.4% |
| 1970 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1971 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1973 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1974 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1975 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 1979 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 1980 | 2 events | +100.0% |
| 1981 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 1982 | 3 events | +200.0% |
| 1983 | 6 events | +100.0% |
| 1984 | 4 events | -33.3% |
| 1987 | 4 events | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 events | -25.0% |
| 1990 | 2 events | -33.3% |
| 1992 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 1993 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 1994 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1995 | 4 events | +100.0% |
| 1996 | 4 events | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 1998 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2000 | 5 events | +400.0% |
| 2001 | 1 events | -80.0% |
| 2002 | 1 events | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6 events | +500.0% |
| 2004 | 8 events | +33.3% |
| 2005 | 5 events | -37.5% |
| 2006 | 3 events | -40.0% |
| 2007 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 2008 | 5 events | +25.0% |
| 2009 | 2 events | -60.0% |
| 2010 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 events | +300.0% |
| 2012 | 2 events | -75.0% |
| 2013 | 3 events | +50.0% |
| 2014 | 3 events | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 events | +33.3% |
| 2016 | 4 events | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 events | -75.0% |
| 2018 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 2019 | 2 events | -50.0% |
| 2021 | 2 events | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 events | -50.0% |
| 2023 | 4 events | +300.0% |
| 2024 | 3 events | -25.0% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 3 events is above the median for high income countries, which is 1 events, 3.0× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Japan's 3 events is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1 events, 3.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of significant earthquakes in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +600.0% | 1 events | 7 events |
| 2003 | +500.0% | 1 events | 6 events |
| 1938 | +450.0% | 2 events | 11 events |
| 1901 | +400.0% | 1 events | 5 events |
| 2000 | +400.0% | 1 events | 5 events |
| 1909 | +300.0% | 1 events | 4 events |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1020s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1080s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1090s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1240s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1250s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1290s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1330s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1340s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1360s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1400s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1430s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1440s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1490s | 2 events | 1 events | 3 events | 2 |
| 1510s | 2 events | 2 events | 2 events | 1 |
| 1520s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1540s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1580s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1590s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1600s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1610s | 1.4 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1630s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1640s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 6 |
| 1650s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1660s | 1.67 events | 1 events | 2 events | 3 |
| 1670s | 1.2 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1680s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1690s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1700s | 1.2 events | 1 events | 2 events | 5 |
| 1710s | 1.25 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1720s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1730s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 4 |
| 1750s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1760s | 1.4 events | 1 events | 3 events | 5 |
| 1770s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1780s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 1 |
| 1790s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 4 |
| 1800s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1810s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 2 |
| 1820s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1830s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 5 |
| 1840s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1850s | 2.17 events | 1 events | 3 events | 6 |
| 1860s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1870s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 2 |
| 1880s | 1 events | 1 events | 1 events | 3 |
| 1890s | 1.89 events | 1 events | 4 events | 9 |
| 1900s | 2.83 events | 1 events | 5 events | 6 |
| 1910s | 1.71 events | 1 events | 3 events | 7 |
| 1920s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 3 events | 8 |
| 1930s | 3.57 events | 1 events | 11 events | 7 |
| 1940s | 1.38 events | 1 events | 2 events | 8 |
| 1950s | 1.5 events | 1 events | 2 events | 6 |
| 1960s | 4.14 events | 1 events | 8 events | 7 |
| 1970s | 1.75 events | 1 events | 4 events | 8 |
| 1980s | 3.29 events | 1 events | 6 events | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.75 events | 1 events | 4 events | 8 |
| 2000s | 4 events | 1 events | 8 events | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3 events | 1 events | 8 events | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5 events | 1 events | 4 events | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of significant earthquakes in Japan?
- Number of significant earthquakes in Japan was 3 events in 2024, according to National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 11 events in 1938.
- What is the lowest number of significant earthquakes recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 events in 1026.
- How does Japan rank for number of significant earthquakes?
- Japan ranks 4th out of 97 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of significant earthquakes rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of significant earthquakes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 214 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
A significant earthquake meets at least one of the following: caused deaths, moderate damage ($1 million or more), a magnitude 7.5 or greater, Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) X or greater, or generated a tsunami. Due to data availability, recent data will be more complete than older historical estimates.