Dramatic Video Shows Volcano Making New Island Off Japan
"Ring of Fire" tectonic activity responsible for this week's eruption.
The island is about 660 feet (200 meters) in diameter, according to the Japanese coast guard. It sits off the coast of Nishinoshima, itself a small, uninhabited island in a group of about 30 islands known as the Bonin Islands, or the Ogasawara chain.
Asked by the media if the new island will soon get a name, Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga replied that officials will first wait to see how long it sticks around, since new islands have a tendency to disappear back below the waves in a short time. (Related: "How Did the Pakistan Earthquake Create a Mud Island?")
"If it becomes a full-fledged island, we would be happy to have more territory," Suga told the press.
On Thursday, the
