Strong earthquake jolts Yamanashi and Kanagawa amid landslide fears

Key Points:

• A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Yamanashi Prefecture and surrounding areas, including Tokyo, at 10:29 p.m. Friday, causing structural damage, a landslide, and injuring six people.
• The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported no changes in Mount Fuji's activity and no tsunami threat; the quake registered up to lower 6 on the shindo scale in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi.
• Power outages affected approximately 2,860 households across Yamanashi, Saitama, and Ibaraki prefectures, with some water supply disruptions in Yamanakako village; emergency calls reported collapsed walls and traffic signal failures.
• Authorities warned of a 10-20% chance of another major quake in the next week, especially in the following two to three days, urging caution amid approaching tropical storms and potential landslide risks.
• Transport services, including the Tokaido and JR East Shinkansen lines, experienced temporary suspensions but resumed early Saturday, while no abnormalities were detected at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant; the government activated a crisis management center to coordinate response efforts.