MOSTLY SAME
As of August 22, 2026 at 8:36 PM, this is how Optics News reads the wording differences in this story.
What happened Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
The headline split The headlines are mostly aligned. The differences are small wording choices, not a major framing split.
Match confidence High confidence. 10 sources checked, Left/Center/Right all represented. Best read as a clear framing signal — not a fact-check.
Same-event confidenceHigh10 sources across Left, Center, and Right all describe the same event.
Framing confidenceMostly same15/99 — the outlets mostly agree on the headline takeaway.
WHAT EACH SIDE EMPHASIZED
Left / center-leftA moderate, magnitude 5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan. No tsunami alert is issuedABC News - International · Center-left · News report
Center5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we knowThe Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com) · Center · News report
Right / center-right5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we knowAl.com (Alabama News) · Center-right · News report
SEE THE HEADLINES
Center-leftMostly FactualA moderate, magnitude 5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan. No tsunami alert is issued
moderateNo tsunami alert is issued
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 has rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, but no tsunami warning was issued
5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
Center-rightMostly Factual5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
Show all 10 sources
5.9 earthquake shakes eastern Japan; Here’s what we know
Last month, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area.
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.9 shakes eastern Japan. No tsunami alert is issued
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 has rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, but no tsunami warning was issued.
Japan earthquake measuring magnitude 5.9 shakes Tokyo and eastern Kanto region
A 5.9-magnitude earthquake shook Japan's capital, Tokyo, and the eastern Kanto region in the early hours of Sunday local time
Magnitude 5.9 earthquake rattles Tokyo and eastern Kanto region
Shaking registered lower 5 on Japan's seven-point seismic scale. There was no risk of a tsunami.
Details15/99 Wording Gap · High confidence · 10 sources
15/99 Wording GapHigh confidence10 sources · 3 bias bucketsStable · 10 sources · all three buckets · comparable news formatFormats: News report
SOURCE MAP CHANGES
Aug 22, 5:24 PM: Japan Times joined the source map.
Aug 22, 5:44 PM: The Mirror UK joined the source map.
Aug 22, 5:59 PM: The Seattle Times joined the source map.
Aug 22, 7:19 PM: ABC News - International joined the source map.
Now: Wording Gap is 15/99 and story health is stable · 10 sources · all three buckets · comparable news format.
