Japan was shaken near Miyako, Miyako Shi, Iwate, by an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 only 11 minutes ago, the United States Geological Survey reported.The quake hit at a shallow depth of 24.80 km beneath the epicenter near Miyako, Miyako Shi, Iwate, Japan, after midnight on Friday, March 27th, 2026, at 12:18 am local time. Shallow earthquakes are felt more strongly than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.Our monitoring service identified a second report from Geoscience Australia (GeoAu) which listed the quake at magnitude 6.4. Other agencies reporting the same quake include France's Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS) at magnitude 5.8, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) at magnitude 6.2, The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) at magnitude 5.8, and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) at magnitude 6.2.Generally quakes of this magnitude are recorded by more than one agency and the results can vary, with subsequent reports that come in after the first one often showing more accuracy.Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc. In Miyako (pop. 51,200) located 105 km from the epicenter, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.Earthquake data: Date & time: Mar 26, 2026 11:18 pm (GMT +9) local time (26 Mar 2026 14:18 GMT)Magnitude: 5.9Depth: 31.90 kmEpicenter latitude / longitude: 39.52°N / 143.13°E (Miyagi, Japan)Primary data source: USGS