At least 48 people have been killed by an earthquake in Japan, which had a magnitude of 7.6 and caused a fire and buildings to collapse on the main island's west coast.
According to Reuters, orders were issued for almost 100,000 residents in nine prefectures to evacuate certain areas of Japan's west coast.
The earthquake consequently led to the first special tsunami warning from the Japan Meteorological Agency since a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that destroyed portions of the northeast of the nation.
But a few hours later, the agency reduced the alert.
Massive holiday traffic has been witnessed in Japan, as this is the first New Year's season since the government lowered COVID-19 to the same level as the seasonal flu.
So, is it safe to travel to Japan? Here's what we know.
Where was the Japan earthquake?
The Noto Peninsula, which protrudes north of central Honshu and faces the Sea of Japan, was affected by the powerful earthquake.
Although there isn't a lot of foreign travel to the Noto Peninsula, the earthquake did affect Kanazawa, a well-liked tourist destination, where multiple shrines have been destroyed by the natural disaster.
Millions of Japanese people typically visit shrines and temples to celebrate the new year, and the capital of Ishikawa is well-known for these architectural marvels.
There were also tremors in the popular prefecture of Nagano, where skiers swarm to enjoy winter sports.
Is it safe to travel to Japan?
It's not safe to travel to certain parts of Japan right now. Residents in Niigata, Toyama, and Ishikawa have been advised to leave as soon as possible because of the elevated tsunami alert for coastal areas.
To reduce dangers, officials are highlighting the significance of evacuating to higher land and keeping as much space as possible between oneself and the coast.
As of Monday evening at 6pm (local time), Japanese airlines have halted flights to and from airports in the impacted regions. All Nippon Airways, the nation's largest carrier, had cancelled 15 flights, while Japan Airlines had grounded nine services.
InsideJapan, a travel agency, stated that it did not anticipate the earthquake having a major effect on tourism to Japan.
However, those who want to visit the Noto Peninsula in the coming weeks are encouraged to think about going somewhere else, "or at the very least, check in with your tour operator, travel agent, or the accommodation where you are booked to stay".
The agency added: “The major cities on the east coast are unaffected and although some of the pictures from the Noto Peninsula are quite dramatic with some collapsed houses and large cracks in some roads, Japan is very well geared up to deal with these kinds of incidents."
