On August 22, Volcano Disaster Preparedness Day, authorities released an AI-generated video of Mount Fuji erupting. (Photo: Tokyo Metropolitan Government General Affairs Bureau)
A viral video created using artificial intelligence (AI) shows the catastrophic impact of an eruption of Mount Fuji on Tokyo, Japan, and its 37 million residents. Fortunately, the informational video is not timed to coincide with the increased risk of an eruption — it is simply a public service announcement for Japan Volcano Disaster Preparedness Day in 2025.
An AI-generated video released by Tokyo City Hall on August 22 warns of the speed with which volcanic ash could travel from the volcano to the Japanese capital, where it could rain down on its roads, buildings, railways and other infrastructure. Ash clouds from Mount Fuji could reach Tokyo in just one to two hours, the subtitles under the video say, paralyzing the city’s transportation network, knocking out power and damaging the respiratory health of millions of people.
“This moment could come without warning,” read the subtitles, which translate the video's Japanese text into English. “If Mount Fuji erupts, volcanic ash could fall on Tokyo and have a variety of impacts on us.”
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「富士山が噴火したら、東京はどうなる？」 【本編・３分】降灰被害編動画（英語字幕） – YouTube
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In the video, a woman receives an alert on her phone about an eruption of Mount Fuji, located 100 kilometers southwest of central Tokyo. Viewers are then taken on an AI-generated video tour of the potential impact of volcanic ash on Tokyo's transportation system, power lines, water supplies, homes and residents.
“A small amount of ash on runways and tracks would be enough to render aircraft and trains unserviceable,” read the subtitles in the transport infrastructure section of the video. “A small amount of ash on roads could affect the operation of two-wheel drive vehicles, as ashfall would limit visibility and increase the risk of skidding, creating hazardous driving conditions.”
According to the video, large amounts of ash could block Tokyo's sewers, contaminate fresh water supplies, damage power lines, and collapse wooden roofs. The city could also be plunged into darkness as ash particles obscure the sun, and access to food and other essentials could be temporarily restricted. Additionally, inhaling ash could negatively impact people's health, with existing respiratory conditions likely to worsen with exposure.
Mount Fuji is the highest peak in Japan, standing at 3,776 metres (12,389 feet). According to the video, the volcano last erupted in 1707, with the resulting ashfall lasting two weeks. Fuji used to erupt about every 30 years, but has now been dormant for 318 years, but some experts believe it could erupt at any time.
However, the timing of the video is not associated with any signs of an eruption, and there is no indication that Mount Fuji is close to an eruption, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said in a statement seen by CNN. “The simulation is intended to provide residents with accurate knowledge and preparedness measures they can take in the event of an emergency,” government officials said in a statement.
According to the video, volcanic ash from Mount Fuji could reach Tokyo within one to two hours of the eruption.
Preparedness measures include stockpiling food and first aid supplies. In the video, parents show their child a pantry full of canned goods, water, and medicines ready for an emergency.
The video was released for Volcano Disaster Preparedness Day 2025, but as CNN reports, this is not the first time the Tokyo government has warned of the threat of an eruption of Mount Fuji. In March, authorities issued an advisory recommending that residents always have a two-week supply of essential supplies at home.
The Japanese government has been modeling earthquake and volcanic eruption scenarios for years, but the results of those studies do not match the specific risks associated with Mount Fuji or other geological features, Naoya Sekiya, a professor and risk communication expert at the University of Tokyo, told NBC News.
“Time doesn’t really matter,” Sekiya confirmed.
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— Research has found that a tsunami from the dinosaur era has been found in tiny pieces of Japanese amber.
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— Japan's coastline has shifted more than 800 feet since a devastating earthquake struck on January 1.
Japan has 111 active volcanoes — about one-tenth of the world’s total — thanks to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped belt of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean. The country sits on the boundary of four tectonic plates that rub against each other and often collide, causing a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Perhaps the most famous natural disaster to hit Japan was the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake was the strongest in Japan's recorded history, with warnings sent out to Tokyo residents just a minute before the shaking began.
TOPICS natural disasters in Japan
Sasha PareSocial Link NavigationStaff Writer
Sasha is a staff writer for Live Science based in the UK. She holds a BA in biology from the University of Southampton in England and an MA in science communication from Imperial College London. Her work has appeared in The Guardian and on health site Zoe. Outside of writing, she enjoys playing tennis, baking bread, and browsing thrift stores.
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