Updated with video at 4:24pm GMT+8
Japan's largest active volcano, Mount Aso, erupted on Monday morning, sending up ash and smoke 2,000m into the air.
Japan's Meteorological Agency released surveillance footage showing a column of black smoke rising out of the volcano in the Kumamoto prefecture.
Volcanic plume rises 2,000m after Mount Aso eruption: Japan Meteorological Agency - http://t.co/KciqEo5XGYhttps://t.co/caF7NDaXmg— The Mainichi (@themainichi) September 14, 2015
14日09:49に熊本県の阿蘇山で噴火が発生したとの噴火速報を発表しました。噴煙は1000m以上に昇っている模様です。 http://t.co/na798477dY— mitＱi (@MhX0813) Sep 14 2015
There have been no reports of injuries yet.
Japan Airlines also cancelled its flights to and from Kumamoto after news of the eruption broke.
【国内線/10:30】本日14日は阿蘇山の噴火による影響のため、熊本空港発着便に欠航の影響が発生しております。ご利用のお客さまは、最新の運航状況を「国内線 発着案内」にてご確認ください。http://Jal.co.jp/i/fid/— JAL 運航情報【公式】 (@JAL_flight_info) Sep 14 2015
Last November, Mount Aso emitted masses of volcanic smoke, spewing ash and rocks 1,500m into the air, causing more than 30 flights that travel past it to be cancelled.
The volcano is on Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu, with a peak at 1,592m above sea level. Japan has more than 100 active volcanos, lying along a horseshoe-shaped series of faultlines around the Pacific Ocean where 90% of all earthquakes occur.
Last year's eruption of Mount Ontake in the Southwest of Tokyo was one of the deadliest in Japan's past 20 years, killing 57 people, many of them hikers on its slopes.