May 30, 2015 7.8 Earthquake in Japan

The May 30, 2015 M 7.8 earthquake WNW of Chichi-shima, Japan occurred as the result of oblique-normal faulting at the depth of over 660 km beneath the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake is located within the interior of the Pacific plate that subducts beneath Japan starting at the Izu trench, hundreds of kilometers to the east of the event (and on the surface of the Earth). At the location of the earthquake, the Pacific plate moves approximately westwards with respect to the Philippine Sea plate at the rate of 39 mm/yr. This earthquake occurred in response to stresses.