A volcano on Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, erupted early Sunday, sending a plume of ash and smoke up to 4,400 metres into the air, Kyodo News reported, citing the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The eruption began shortly after 12:57 am at the Minamidake crater and marked the first plume above 4,000 metres since October 18 last year.

The activity continued through the morning, prompting ashfall forecasts for parts of Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki prefectures. Local authorities said no injuries or structural damage had been reported. Large volcanic rocks reached as far as the fifth station, though the JMA confirmed no pyroclastic flows had occurred. The alert level remains at three out of five, restricting access to the mountain.

The JMA said volcanic ash

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