Shinya Tsukada, head of the Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami observation division, is seen giving a press conference in Tokyo's Minato Ward on Oct. 8, 2021. He spoke about the Oct. 7 earthquake that measured an upper 5 on the 7-point Japanese seismic intensity scale in parts of Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, and warned people to be vigilant for an earthquake of a similar scale in the next week or so. (Mainichi/Ei Okada)

       TOKYO -- The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that shook Tokyo on the night of Oct. 7 is unlikely to be connected to a major earthquake directly below Tokyo that the government envisages befalling the capital at some point in the future, according to a senior official at the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) speaking during an Oct. 8 press conference.

       The JMA's Shinya Tsukada, head of its earthquake and tsunami observation division, held a press conference in the early hours of Oct. 8, following the powerful earthquake that measured an upper 5 on the 7-point Japanese seismic intensity scale in parts of Tokyo and neighboring Saitama Prefecture at about 10:41 p.m. on Oct. 7.

       Tsukuda told reporters: "A close inspection (of the epicenter) might change things, but at the moment we think the earthquake took place on the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate."

       "The earthquake directly below Tokyo that the Cabinet Office envisages happening is one with a shallow epicenter. This time was deeper (about 75 kilometers), and of a smaller scale than the one imagined." He indicated that, at the present time, it's believed that the earthquake is likely unrelated to any tremor occurring directly beneath the capital.

       (Japanese original by Ei Okada, Science & Environment News Department)

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