A thick layer of slippery clay on the ocean floor may have formed the weak spot that enabled a magnitude 9.1 quake to make such a devastating tsunami.

Researchers onboard the deep sea scientific drilling vessel Chikyu sailed to the Japan Trench to drill up to 7,906 metres beneath the seafloor. Credit: JAMSTEC/IODP. A thin, soft and slippery layer of ...

Snowfall in parts of Japan has also left about 200 people injured. One city recorded 72 inches of snow, the highest in almost 40 years.

Residents have been warned about possible avalanches in the northern parts of Japan following two weeks of snowfall At least 35 people have been killed and nearly 400 injured, as a huge winter storm ...

Posted: 7 February 2026 | Last updated: 7 February 2026 Heavy snowfall in Japan leaves at least 45 dead, more than 500 injured Heavy snowfall across Japan since January 20 has left at least 45 people ...

At least 35 people have been killed and nearly 400 injured, as a huge winter storm has dumped 6.5 feet of snow onto some regions of Japan 1,700 homes have also been left without electricity, the ...