A major earthquake struck Japan’s north-east coast today, causing widespread damage and triggering concerns of potential tsunamis. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, hit the region at 3:46 PM local time, near the city of Sendai. The tremors were felt across the Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, with reports of buildings collapsing, roads cracking, and power outages.
Authorities have confirmed that at least 20 people have been injured so far, with emergency services working to assess the full extent of the damage. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning following the earthquake, advising residents to evacuate coastal areas and seek higher ground.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged full government support to the affected regions, stating that the priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the residents. The government has also mobilized the Japan Self-Defense Forces to assist with disaster relief efforts and search and rescue operations.
Local residents have expressed shock and fear following the earthquake, recalling the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that led to a nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Many are now concerned about the potential impact of today’s earthquake on nuclear power plants in the region.
Further updates on the situation are expected as rescue teams continue their operations and authorities assess the aftermath of the earthquake.
Sources Analysis:
Japan Meteorological Agency – The agency is a reliable source for earthquake and tsunami-related information, with no significant bias or disinformation issues.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe – As a government official, Abe may have a vested interest in providing reassurance and support to the public during times of crisis.
Fact Check:
Magnitude of the earthquake – Verified fact, based on official reports from the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Number of injured people – Unconfirmed claim, the number may change as more information becomes available.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Major earthquake strikes Japan’s north-east coast”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.