In the aftermath of the eruption, the Japanese Meteorological Agency warned that a second one could follow. No one has reportedly been injured however the volcanic alert has been raised to Level 3, which cautions against approaching the volcano.

Footage showed flames bursting from several sources on the mountaintop as the volcano belched thick ash into the sky.

"The possibility is slim that a larger eruption will occur, but an eruption of the same scale could take place," director of the agency’s Volcanological Division, Makoto Saito, told a news conference, The Mainichi has reported.

According to the agency, the blast occurred at a crater on the mountain that hasn’t erupted in 36 years. Satellite observations revealed that the smoke climbed over 10 kilometers into the air.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told The Japan Times on Saturday that the government will respond to the disaster. “We will proceed cautiously and do our best to make lives a top priority,” he said, RT reported.

212