A volcanic eruption has raised a new island in the seas to the far south of Tokyo, earthquake experts say.
Japan's coast guard and the country's Meteorological Agency said the islet was about 200 meters or 660ft in diameter and just off the coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, which is also known as the Bonin islands.
Japan's chief government spokesman welcomed the news of yet another bit, however tiny, of new territory.
"This has happened before and in some cases the islands disappeared," Yoshihide Suga said when asked if the government was planning on naming the new island.
"If it becomes a full-fledged island, we would be happy to have more territory."
Japan's coast guard and the country's Meteorological Agency said the islet was about 200 meters or 660ft in diameter and just off the coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, which is also known as the Bonin islands.
Japan's chief government spokesman welcomed the news of yet another bit, however tiny, of new territory.
"This has happened before and in some cases the islands disappeared," Yoshihide Suga said when asked if the government was planning on naming the new island.
"If it becomes a full-fledged island, we would be happy to have more territory."
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