Mt. Asama volcano in Japan

Mt. Asama volcano is erupting.

Both earthquakes and volcanoes are endothermal processes, both are very related to platge tectonics, and both can be monitored by real-time geophysics.

Thus, while I don't meant to go off forever on a volcano tangent, since they are nicely covered elsewhere, it is interesting to follow another developing volcanic scenario in Japan.

More news can be found where the photo came from, The Japan Times.

In light of what you can see about Redoubt at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, it is interesting how little you can find out about Asama from the Japanese Meteorological Agency. Just a brief update (although, nicely, this can be read in English), and a very static volcanic ash advisory map. No video, no seismographs. Yet Japan is very conscious of the natural hazards - earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones - that it faces, so I wonder why the basic data seem so hard to come by? There are some video clips online, but mainly from the British press, such as The Guardian.