On April 20th, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the northeastern region of Honshu, Japan. Experts suggest there is a possibility of a massive earthquake approaching magnitude 8 occurring in the same area. According to the Nikkei on the 22nd, the Sanriku region, where the earthquake occurred, is a large coastal region across Aomori, Iwate, and Miyagi prefectures. It is an area where the continental plate and oceanic plate meet, making it susceptible to earthquakes due to the accumulated deformation energy released during strong plate collisions. Earthquakes occurring underwater pose a high risk of leading to large tsunamis. Professor Ryota Hino, a seismologist from Tohoku University, emphasized the need to consider the relationship between the recent earthquake and the 1968 Tokachi-Oki earthquake, which struck off the coast of Sanriku and resulted in significant damage, including a tsunami as high as 2.95 meters, causing 52 fatalities and injuring 330 people. Hino pointed out that recent earthquakes in November and December of last year in the Sanriku region were near the epicenter of the 1968 earthquake, advocating for disaster prevention measures in anticipation of a major earthquake. Obara Kazushige, head of the Japanese government’s Earthquake Research Committee, echoed the possibility of an earthquake of similar or greater magnitude compared to 1968 or 1994.
Meanwhile, following the strong earthquake in Japan, five super-sized ‘dotdom’ (deep-sea fish) were caught in a single day off the coast of Busan. Known as the ‘fish of dreams’ among anglers due to its rarity, the catching of dotdom, with the largest measuring around 165cm in length and weighing 90kg, sparked discussions about connections to the Japanese earthquake. Prior to the Great East Japan Earthquake, 12 deep-sea oarfish were discovered along the Japanese coastline, leading to beliefs that such appearances might portend earthquakes. However, research, including analysis from Tokai University, revealed no statistical correlation between deep-sea fish appearances and major earthquakes. Instead, changes in ocean currents, movement of prey, or illness are seen as more plausible reasons for their sudden appearances.