Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano erupts for first time since 2018 (Image:X)
Japan is on high alert after Shinmoedake, a key vent in Kyushu’s Kirishima volcanic complex, erupted on Thursday, July 3, sending a massive ash plume nearly 6.7 km into the sky. This marks the volcano’s first major eruption since June 2018, following a smaller blast on June 22 that ended seven years of dormancy (state of being temporarily inactive).
The eruption, which occurred around 3:30 pm local time, came amid heightened seismic activity in the region, including over 1,000 tremors and a 5.5-magnitude quake near the Tokara Islands. In response, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) had already raised the volcanic alert to Level 3 on June 27. Following the eruption, authorities warned of possible falling volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows within a 2-mile radius of Shinmoedake.
A powerful eruption occurred at Mount Kirishima’s Shinmoedake crater – Watch
Reports indicate that the eruption of Mount Shinmoedake blanketed parts of Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures in heavy ash, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain indoors and steer clear of the volcano. Notably, the eruption followed a 5.5-magnitude earthquake that struck near the Tokara Island chain earlier on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the recent eruption has sparked widespread attention partly due to a decades-old prediction by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, often compared to Bulgarian mystic Baba Vanga. In his 1999 book The Future I Saw, Tatsuki claimed to have foreseen a major natural disaster striking on June 5, 2025, based on his “prophetic dreams.” While Tatsuki himself has urged people not to take his predictions too literally, the resurfaced forecast has gone viral on social media, leading to a noticeable decline in flight bookings to Japan.
AloJapan.com