For over 300 years, Mount Fuji has been quietly approaching Tokyo, but the eruption is clearly capable of attacking at any time. To celebrate Volcanic Disaster Prevention Day on August 26th, Japanese officials have released computer and AI-generated videos to remind citizens of the tragic facts.
The video, created by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Disaster Management Office in Japan, aims to prepare Tokyo's 37 million residents for this potential disaster. You can see below in the Cabinet Office video, but ashes have rained down the city, significantly reducing visibility. The eruption material can be up to 24-28 inches (60-70 cm) thick in just a few days, the narrator explains. As the highway becomes unable to pass, roof caves and traffic stop. You can see the English version here (for some reason, you cannot embed the English version).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2typuxiw4-0
According to the Associated Press, the Tokyo government said in a statement that there are currently no indications of Fuji erupting. “The simulation is designed to equip residents with the precise knowledge and preparatory measures they can take in the event of an emergency,” he explained.
I woke up after preparing for Mt. Fuji.
Mount Fuji is a 12,300-foot-high Stratovolcano (3,700-meter-high) Stratovolcano, approximately 60 miles (100 km) from Chuo Tokyo. Although it has not erupted since 1707, geologists consider it “potentially active” due to the fact that it erupted during the Holocene era, according to the US Geological Survey.
Furthermore, Fuji is part of the Pacific Ring, a region of important earthquake and volcanic activity. The volcano is located at a three-way intersection of the Pacific Ocean, Eurasia and the Philippine tectonic plates. The subduction of the Pacific plate below the Philippine plate drives Fuji's activity.
The recent eruption of the volcano was also the largest eruption in recorded history.
According to National Geographic, it may have been caused by an 8.6 magnitude earthquake in October 1707. This material covered the town of Edo, known today as central Tokyo, and destroyed crops. During the resulting hunger, many people died of starvation.
Due to its proximity to Tokyo and other cities, which have a high population density, experts are continuously monitoring Fujiuji for signs of activity. Still, it is impossible to predict the timing of this volcano's next eruption. This is why Japanese officials are urging residents to be ready at any time.
The public responds
The video is intended to notify you, but it caused anxiety and confusion among some Tokyo residents, the AP reports.
“Are there any signs of an eruption?” Shinichiro Kariya, a 57-year-old hospital employee, asked the Associated Press. “Why now, “And do we hear that even in Tokyo, 10 centimeters of ashes can fall? I wonder why this is happening all of a sudden.”
“To be honest, Mount Fuji always felt far away, so seeing this made me very scared,” the unknown 26-year-old nurse told NTV News, a Japanese news station.
Naoya Sekiya, a professor at the University of Tokyo and risk communication expert, told the AP that the timing of the video's release had no particular meaning, explaining that the government has been modeling volcanic eruptions and earthquake scenarios over the years.
Japan is prone to a variety of natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and typhoons. These can cause other disasters, such as landslides, tsunamis and even nuclear disasters.
Regarding Mount Fuji, “We cannot predict when the eruption will occur. It will be a few weeks, a year, a decade, or a century later,” Yoshimoto, a researcher at the Institute at Dr. Yamashita Fuz University, told NTV News. “We hope that each citizen gets an idea of when and how they must evacuate with the information they have.”
