Large-amplitude surface waves from the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake triggered many seismic events across Japan, while the smaller amplitude P-wave triggering remains unclear. A spectral method was used to detect seismic events triggered by the first arriving P-waves over Japan. This method uses a reference event to correct for source and propagation effects, so that the local response near the station can be examined in detail. P-wave triggering was found in the regions where triggered non-volcanic tremor (NVT) has been observed, and some seismic and volcanic regions. The triggering strain due to P-waves is of the order of 10−8 to 10−7, which is 1 to 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the triggering strain necessary for the surface wave triggering. In the regions of NVT, the triggered event was not identified with slow events, but with other seismic events such as tectonic earthquakes. The sequence of triggering in the regions started with P-wave arrivals. The subsequent surface waves contributed to triggering of NVT, possibly together with slow slip, which resulted in the large amplitude of the NVT.