A quake of seismic intensity 7 hit Japan, soon followed around 40 minutes later by several weaker quakes. No specific locations or damages were mentioned in the headline. The simultaneous occurrence of these quakes places the emergency services on high alert. The nation's seismic monitoring agencies are closely scrutinizing the seismic activities.

Japan, sitting on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Therefore, earthquakes are a part of Japanese life. People care a lot about seismic activities and have a high earthquake consciousness, which is reflected in their strict building regulations and efficient disaster response systems.

In contrast, countries in the US and EU experience fewer and generally less severe earthquakes. Yet, preparedness and response times to such events may not be as swift, due to the relative rarity of these occurrences.