Tokyo Simulation Shows Fuji Eruption Could Blanket Tokyo in Ash

An AI generated simulation released by Tokyo Metropolitan Government on Volcano Disaster Prevention Day shows how an eruption of Mount Fuji could blanket Tokyo in volcanic ash within hours, paralyze transport, trigger widespread blackouts and disrupt food and medical supplies. Officials said the videos are intended to spur preparedness, while stressing there are no current signs that the volcano is about to erupt.

The short clip, circulated this week, depicts ash clouds reaching the capital, about 100 kilometres away, within one to two hours of an eruption. It shows trains and airports grinding to a halt as tracks and runways become coated in ash, roads rendered hazardous by poor visibility and slippery surfaces, and communications faltering as power lines and infrastructure are damaged. The simulated voiceover warns, "The moment may arrive without any warning," and the Tokyo government urged residents to stockpile basic supplies and protective gear such as masks and goggles.

Estimates of potential ashfall and damage vary across official simulations and expert commentary. The Tokyo government has released scenario numbers ranging from single digit centimetre ash layers across...