Japan’s 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake: Impact Report

Overview of the 2024 Noto Earthquake

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck central Japan on Monday just after 4 p.m. local time, leading to significant destruction, power outages, and tragic loss of life. According to the Wall Street Journal, at least 55 people are reported dead. 

The quake destroyed buildings along Japan’s western front while landslides and fires consumed parts of neighborhoods, including an entire section of Wajima City. Wajima City is located in Ishikawa Prefecture and has an estimated population of 27,000.

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The earthquake also triggered a tsunami warning in the following hours along Japan’s west coast and in South Korea, causing panic among residents; while initial warnings suggested a tsunami of 5 meters (16.5 feet) were possible, the warning has since been downgraded to waves of 3 meters (10 feet). This is the first tsunami warning since the March 2011 earthquake.

Government Response & Rescue Efforts

The government swiftly responded to the disaster, dispatching army personnel for rescue operations. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized the importance of saving lives, even though access to affected areas remained difficult due to blocked roads.

While some 3,000 rescuers work to reach the most affected parts of the Noto peninsula, the Japanese military has handed out supplies to those who have had to vacate their homes. As of Tuesday, some 57,000 people have been evacuated. 

Airplane Collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport Impacts Aid

Aid efforts were also impeded by a collision on Tokyo’s Haneda Airport runway when a Japan Airlines plane collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft carrying aid for earthquake survivors while attempting to land. All 367 passengers from the commercial Japan Airlines plane were successfully rescued; five passengers on the Coast Guard craft died. An investigation into what happened is ongoing. 

Haneda Airport is Japan’s busiest airport. It handles over 85 million passengers each year and thousands of tons in cargo. In 2022, the airport handled approximately 796.5 thousand tons of air freight, with most of it being international cargo. 

Nuclear Impact & Response to the Noto Earthquake

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no irregularities have been confirmed at nuclear power plants along the Sea of Japan, including five active reactors at Kansai Electric Power’s (9503.T) Ohi and Takahama plants in Fukui Prefecture. 

Hokuriku Electric Power Company's Shika nuclear power plant in quake-hit Ishikawa Prefecture says systems to supply electricity to the facility from outside sources remain partially unusable. 

Major Disruptions to Infrastructure

The quake disrupted essential infrastructure, including power, transportation, and communication. More than 36,000 households lost power, and train services and expressways in the region have been halted. Airports faced closures due to runway damage. The disruptions extended to telecom services, with phone and internet outages reported in some areas. 

Japan’s Prime Minister Urges Preparation for Aftershocks

The aftermath of the earthquake calls for continued monitoring, especially in the face of potential aftershocks and ongoing seismic activity. Prime Minister Kishida urged residents to be prepared for more disasters, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant and evacuating promptly when necessary. 

Damage Reports from Suppliers In the Affected Region

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Toshiba, a major electronics manufacturer with a power semiconductor facility in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture, where a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred, suspended operations at a semiconductor factory in Nomi City, Ishikawa. Damage to production equipment is being confirmed. 

Japan Display, which operates a factory that produces LCD displays for automobiles in Kawakita Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, reported that “No employees suffered injuries.” They added, "Today was a scheduled day of operation suspension, and the production equipment remains unaffected." Kawakita Town experienced a magnitude 4 earthquake. 

Sharp, which owns a factory in Hakusan City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and experienced some seismic activity, assured that "There are no reports of harm to employees or damage to buildings at this point." 

Shin-Etsu and GlobalWafers' Niigata facilities are temporarily shut down for inspection, impacting silicon wafer production. However, limited impact is expected on Shin-Etsu's crystal growth operations in Fukushima. Toshiba's Kaga facility and TPSCo factories are undergoing inspections, but UMC's acquisition of Mie Fujitsu plant area remains unaffected. 

San-Etsu Metal Co., Ltd also experienced minor effects such as some inventory products being damaged, yet no damage to production equipment was reported. 

JS Foundry K.K., a company in the Niigata Prefecture, reported that they experienced no damage to their buildings or equipment as a result of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake. 

TAIYO YUDEN's Niigata plant, which is designed to withstand seismic activity up to level 7, reported no equipment damage. 

MLCC plants of Murata and TDK experienced seismic intensities below level 4; they remained largely unaffected. Murata's other factories in areas with seismic intensity above 5 were closed for the New Year holiday, and damage assessment is ongoing.

Z2Data Impact Assessment

Z2Data ran a risk analysis on components manufactured in the Ishikawa Prefecture and nearby regions potentially impacted by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. The analysis maps electronic parts to their manufacturing site and then categorizes their risk for disruption based on their distance from the epicenter. Risks were ranked Low, Medium, and High.

Categorization
0-80 KM - High Impact Grade
81-120 KM - Medium Impact Grade
120-199 KM - Low Impact Grade

High Potential Impact

• Murata - Fixed Inductors / EMI Products
• Kemet - Tantalum Capacitors
• KOA Speer - Chip Resistors
• SUSUMU CO.,LTD. - Chip Resistors

Medium Potential Impact:

• Taiyo Yuden - Ceramic Capacitors
• Rubycon - Capacitors
• Cosel - DC/DC Converters

Low Potential Impact:

• Panasonic Industrial Devices - Chip Resistors
• Seiko Epson - Crystal Oscillators
• Stackpole - Chip Resistors
• Rubycon - Capacitors
• Nichicon - Capacitors
• Renesas - SRAM, Crystal Oscillators, Transceivers
• Onsemi - Diodes, Opto-couplers, MOSFETs
  

In addition, Z2Data highlighted key manufacturers based within 80 km of the epicenter: 

1. Murata
2. KOA Speer
3. Kyocera
4. Kemet
5. SUSUMU
6. Tower FAB
   

In Summary

Overall, the earthquake's impact on the semiconductor sector appears limited, given the industry's current conditions and the geographical distribution of key clusters along the east coast and in the Kyushu region. 

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