Mount Shinmoedake, an active volcano in Japan’s southwest, is showing increased activity—prompting concern among volcanologists who are closely monitoring the site for potential signs of a magma eruption.
Nestled within the scenic Kirishima mountain range, straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, Mount Shinmoedake erupted on June 22, marking its first eruption since 2018. Since then, it has continued to spew ash and gas, painting a dramatic picture of nature’s volatile power.
On Wednesday, a powerful ash plume rose 2,800 meters above the crater, while experts at a government-led volcano research committee meeting noted the release of significant volumes of volcanic gas. Though signs of underground swelling have been detected—often a precursor to magma movement—analysis of the volcanic ash shows no presence of fresh magma at this stage.
This is not yet a magma eruption, Shimizu Hiroshi, director-general of the Center for Volcanic Research Promotion at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) and the committee’s head. We can’t rule out the notion entirely, though. It is necessary to pay constant attention to details.
Despite the growing activity, experts determined that an emergency reaction conference is not yet required. Nonetheless, Japan’s Meteorological Agency has kept the alert level at Level 3 on a 5-point scale, advising people to stay away from the top. There are still warnings for falling rocks and pyroclastic flows within a 3-kilometer radius.
Although the current state of affairs is by no means a product of cinematic imagination, this volcano gained notoriety in popular culture thanks to the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice. Officials, citizens, and tourists are being cautioned to stay informed and to use caution as scientists continue to closely monitor any developments below the surface.