Japan Trench

A map depicting the Japan Trench and its surrounding connections to other relevant trenches. The map was created using GeoMapApp.

Topographic map of central Japan, showing location of trenches, tectonic plates and boundaries.

The Japan Trench is a long oceanic trench in the Pacific Ocean near Japan. It is a deep and wide trench, and it is famous because it's where one of the most powerful earthquakes happened in 2011. This earthquake caused a big tsunami that affected Japan's eastern coast. The Japan Trench is important because it's where two of Earth's tectonic plates meet: the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. These plates move and sometimes cause earthquakes and tsunamis in the region.

The rate of subduction associated with the Japan Trench has been recorded at about 7.9–9.2 centimetres (3.1–3.6 in)/yr.

Other websites

• Media related to Japan Trench at Wikimedia Commons