Kita-Ioto volcano (Volcano Islands, Japan): new eruptions from submarine Funka Asane crater

A new eruption began at the remote island volcano yesterday afternoon. According to the Japan Meteorological Administration (JMA), explosions at the underwater crater Funka Asane near Ioto island produced ash and steam plumes that rose to 24,000 ft (8,000 m) altitude and and drifted towards the northeast.

Eruptions continued throughout the night. Media reports hint that the activity is submarine. Aircraft and ships were warned to avoid the area because of the risk of ash plumes, gasses, as well floating pumice and other debris from the eruption.
Funka Asane is a submerged flank vent or crater of the Kita-Ioto stratovolcano, forming the small island of Ioto or Iwo-jima, in the Ogasawara archipelago in the center of the Izu-Maranas volcanic arc approx. 700 km south of Tokyo. The alert status of the volcano was raised to orange.
Volcanic eruptions along the Ogasawara are frequent, caused by the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Philippine Sea Plate, resulting in a chain of volcanic islands including Ioto and the recently active island of Nishinoshima to the north of it. Fukutoku-Oka-no-Ba volcano in 130 km distance erupted last year and produced a thick pumice raft that reached southern Japan's coasts and caused significant damage.