Japan’s government has released a dramatic AI-generated video showing what could happen if Mount Fuji erupts, warning Tokyo’s 20 million residents to stay alert and prepared.
The video, released Aug. 24 by Tokyo’s Disaster Prevention Division, shows a woman receiving an emergency alert before the skies darken with ash. “The moment may arrive without any warning,” the narration cautions. The video goes on to predict that ash could blanket the capital within two hours, clogging roads, halting trains, and cutting electricity.
Mount Fuji, which last erupted 318 years ago in the Hoei eruption, remains an active volcano. On Aug. 26, Japan marked Volcano Disaster Prevention Day with another simulation urging citizens to “visualize specific scenarios.”
Authorities estimate that an eruption could generate 1.7 billion cubic meters of ash, causing up to 2.5 trillion yen in damage.
While some praised the government’s preparedness campaign, others online criticized the warnings as alarmist, causing needless worry and panic among residents and tourists alike.