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Wall St Journal, Oct. 23, 2014 (emphasis added): One major volcanic eruption could make Japan “extinct,” a study by experts at Kobe University warns… “We should be aware… It wouldn’t be a surprise if such gigantic eruption were to take place at any moment.”
Following a week of relatively low activity, the volcano has become more active again during the past days. A particularly strong vulcanian explosion occurred this morning and produced an ash plume that rose to 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.
Studies have shown that pyroclastic flow from an eruption 90,000 years ago at one of the volcanos near the Sendai plant in Kagoshima prefecture reached as far as 145 kilometers (90 miles) away, Fujii said. He said a pyroclastic flow from Mount Sakurajima, an active volcano that is part of the larger Aira Cauldron, could easily hit the nuclear plant, which is only 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.
Heavy ash falling from an eruption would make it impossible to reach the plant, and could also affect many parts of the country including Tokyo, he said. Many nuclear power plants could be affected in western Japan, 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southwest of the capital.
Japan warned on Friday that a volcano in southern Japan located roughly 64 km (40 miles) from a nuclear plant was showing signs of increased activity that could possibly lead to a small-scale eruption and warned people to stay away from the summit.
"There is an increase in activity that under certain circumstances could even lead to a small scale eruption, but it is not in danger of an imminent, major eruption," the official said.