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Undersea Volcano Creates New Island Near Japan

A volcano along the "ring of fire" near Japan erupted forming a new island.
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An undersea volcano near Japan has formed a new island.

The Japanese coast guard took this video of the eruption. You can see black smoke and lava exploding out of the crater. 

It happened near the Ogasawara Islands, about 620 miles south of Tokyo. The islands are along the Pacific "ring of fire" and are hot with seismic activity. 

 

 

 

The new island is quite small, about 60 feet tall and 700 feet in diameter. A volcanologist told FNN news he isn't sure if the island will remain as it could still be eroded away.

A spokesperson for Japan did say though if it remains an island - Japan will be happy to have more territory. 

Japan lays claim to thousands of other islands like it and it helps the country get ownership rights to large areas of ocean, which are potentially quite lucrative.  

It's been an active week for volcanoes. Mount Etna, the planet's most active Volcano erupted sending lava blasting into the Sicilian sky. And two volcanoes in Indonesia, also located along the "ring of fire" erupted — forcing thousands from their homes.