April 27, 2026 | 04:49 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several videos claiming to show the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have been widely circulated on Instagram [archive], Facebook, and TikTok. These posts emerged after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that hit Japan on April 20, 2026.
The footage shows power lines and buildings shaking violently, followed by a tsunami wave sweeping cars off a highway. The uploader cited the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) as the source.
Is it true that these images show an earthquake and tsunami in Japan on April 20, 2026?
FACT CHECK
Tempo verified the content using Google's reverse image search feature, comparing it with other credible sources. The results showed that the content was a recording of a previous disaster. Although an earthquake and tsunami did strike Japan on April 20, 2026, the circulating video is misleading.
According to the Mainichi news website, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern and northern Japan on that date, triggering an 80-centimeter tsunami along the Pacific coast.
The government issued a tsunami warning for the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate. At 5:34 PM, 40 minutes after the earthquake, waves measuring 80 centimeters high arrived at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture. This figure was far below the Japan Meteorological Agency's initial forecast of waves up to 3 meters high.
Visual Verification
Video 1
The first video shows the earthquake that hit Anamizu City in Ishikawa Prefecture on January 1, 2024. MBS News had previously posted a similar video. This footage is also included in a research document from Tohoku University.
CNN reported that the earthquake reached a magnitude of 7.5 at the time. The quake, which was epicentered on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, triggered a tsunami warning that was not lifted for 24 hours. The disaster killed 30 people, destroyed buildings, and paralyzed transportation and communication lines.
Video 2
The following video shows floodwaters overtopping embankments and sweeping away vehicles. The Guardian published similar images in its report on the 2011 tsunami off Japan's northeastern coast.
The tragedy began on March 11, 2011, with an 8.9-magnitude earthquake that damaged buildings in Tokyo and the surrounding area within a 380-kilometer radius. A 40-meter-high tsunami followed, killing 18,000 people and destroying the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Radioactive material spread into the surrounding area.
Video 3
The third video shows a tsunami sweeping through an intersection. A digital search revealed that the original footage came from the YouTube channel of Takuro Suzuki. The video documents the tsunami that hit Ishinomaki City, Japan, on March 11, 2011.
Tempo verified the location using a visual match on Google Maps. The recording point was at a gas company in Ishinomaki.
CONCLUSION
Tempo's verification concluded that the claim that the recording was of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami that occurred on April 20, 2026, is misleading.
While the videos document the disaster in Japan, they are from past events in 2011 and 2024. They do not depict current conditions following the April 20, 2026, earthquake.
TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM
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