Probably not, but they did know that Japan is on the ring of fire (the border between two plates) so earthquakes are more likely to happen.
A tsunami hit japan after the earthquake.
japan knew about it 15 minutes before it was soon to happen
In Japan
The 8.9 Japan Earthquake
earthquake in ocean
Friday
East of Sendai
In march 2011
The epicenter of the earthquake was offshore, close to Sendai, Japan.
The plates moved so this can occur the earthquake.
Tectonic plates shifted, creating the earthquake.
Before you were born