A SUBTERRANEAN VOLCANO 220 MILES (350 KMS) OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN HAS ERUPTED AGAIN AFTER 17 YEARS OF RELATIVE QUIET. A WARNING OF THE ERUPTION WAS RADIOED BY A FISHING BOAT OPERATING IN THE AREA, NEAR THE MYOJINSHO REEF.

VESSELS HAVE BEEN WARNED NOT TO APPROACH THE AREA.

THE VOLCANO FIRST APPEARED ON 17 SEPTEMBER, 1952, WHEN THE AREA WAS SHAKEN BY VIOLENT ERUPTIONS.

A WEEK LATER, 31 SCIENTISTS WERE KILLED WHEN AN ERUPTION SANK THEIR RESEARCH BOAT. THE VOLCANO THEN SUBMERGED.

AN AIRCRAFT WHICH FLEW OVER THE AREA ON THURSDAY (29 JANUARY) REPORTED SEEING BUBBLES OF GAS AND TURBULENT SEAS IN THE AREA. A LARGE PATCH OF SULPHUR FLOATED ON THE SURFACE.

JAPANESE AUTHORITIES ARE WATCHING THE ERUPTIONS CLOSELY FOR ANY SIGNS OF TIDAL WAVES BEING FORMED.