Two magnitude 5.9 earthquakes hit Japan's east and north, injuring at least 37

Two separate magnitude 5.9 earthquakes struck Japan on Sunday, affecting the country's east and north regions within the same day. The first hit Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, at around 2am local time, while the second was reported in Hokkaido in the north. Authorities said there was no immediate tsunami risk.

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The eastern quake had a depth of 68 kilometres, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. At least 37 people were injured, most of them lightly, after falling or hitting furniture and doors during the shaking. Tokyo recorded 15 injuries, while Saitama reported nine, Kanagawa eight, Chiba four and Ibaraki one, according to local authorities and the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The tremor also disrupted transport in the Tokyo area. Express trains linking the capital with its airports and Narita were delayed, and some local lines were also affected. In Koto ward, a buried water pipe burst and leaked onto a road, although the spill was contained and the system was repaired.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were reported at nuclear power plants in the region. The second earthquake, in Hokkaido, was also measured at magnitude 5.9 and occurred at a depth of 46 kilometres, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from that tremor.

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The Japanese agency said aftershocks of similar intensity could occur over the next week, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi set up a task force to monitor the situation. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because it sits on several active tectonic boundaries. That makes even moderate quakes a matter of public safety and infrastructure resilience, especially in densely populated areas such as the Tokyo region.

The combination of injuries, transport disruption and utility damage shows how quickly seismic activity can affect daily life even when there is no tsunami threat. What remains unclear is whether further aftershocks will cause additional injuries or disruption, particularly in the east of the country. Officials have not reported any major structural damage, and there were no immediate signs of problems at nuclear facilities.

The main developments to watch are the scale of any follow-up tremors, the recovery of transport services and any further assessment from emergency authorities.

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