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Boso Offshore (房総沖) — Earthquake Risk & History

Kanto region · Based on HERP official data

Risk Level: High

The waters off Boso Peninsula sit above a complex triple junction of the Pacific, North American, and Philippine Sea Plates. Slow-slip events are observed on a roughly 5-year cycle, and their potential to trigger larger earthquakes is under active study.

Fault Lines & Seismic Characteristics

Active Faults & Trenches

  • Boso Triple Junction
  • Japan Trench

The waters off Boso Peninsula sit above a complex triple junction of the Pacific, North American, and Philippine Sea Plates. Slow-slip events are observed on a roughly 5-year cycle, and their potential to trigger larger earthquakes is under active study.

Earthquake History

  • M9.0

    2011

    Great East Japan Earthquake — broad rupture zone including Boso offshore area

    📖 Wikipedia

Future Probability — HERP Official Assessment

Long-term probability for this area is available on the HERP official website.

🔗 HERP Official Website →

Traveler Safety Information

Finding Evacuation Shelters

  • Search "避難所" (hinanjo) on Google Maps to find the nearest shelter from your current location
  • Install NHK World or Safety tips (Japan Tourism Agency app) — both send English earthquake alerts

Basic Action Rules

  • At check-in, locate emergency exits and escape routes
  • On strong shaking: protect your head, open a door to secure an exit, do not use elevators
  • Near coasts or rivers: move to high ground immediately — do not wait for a tsunami warning
  • Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance/Fire 119
  • Contact your embassy in Tokyo for emergency consular assistance

Research & Official Sources AI summary

  • Boso Peninsula slow-slip and earthquake triggering risk

    Slow-slip (silent fault creep) events are observed offshore Boso Peninsula approximately every 5 years. If one of these episodes triggers a regular earthquake rupture, it could directly impact the greater Tokyo metropolitan area.

    Source: 방재과학기술연구소 (2023)

Related Guides

⚠️ Notice
Seismic characteristics and research summaries on this page are AI-generated from publicly available data by JMA, Cabinet Office, and HERP. Historical earthquake data (year, magnitude, damage) is based on official records, but key figures should always be cross-checked with the latest official sources. This page does not predict future earthquakes.