JMA reported that during 20-24 January three explosions from Sakurajima's Showa Crater ejected tephra as far as 1,300 m. An explosion on 22 January generated a small pyroclastic flow that traveled 500 m SE, and tephrafall to the S. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5). The Tokyo VAAC reported that on 22 January a plume rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S. That same day pilots observed ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 3.7-4.9 km (12,000-16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S and ESE. On 24 January a pilot observed an ash plume drifting NE at an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l.

Geological Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim and built an island that was joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent eruptions since the 8th century have deposited ash on the city of Kagoshima, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest recorded eruption took place during 1471-76.

Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)