A road approaching Mt Hakone is closed on Sunday after the volcanic alert level was raised amid increasing seismic activity in the popular hot-spring resort area near Tokyo. (Kyodo photo)TOKYO: Japanese authorities raised the volcanic alert level for Mt Hakone on Sunday as seismic activity has been increasing in the popular hot-spring resort area near Tokyo. For the first time since 2015, the weather agency's alert level stood at 2 on a 5-point scale, which calls for people not to approach the crater. After the alert level was raised, the town of Hakone in Kanagawa prefecture decided to restrict entry around the crater and close a road leading to the area throughout the day. In 2015, small eruptions occurred at the 1,438-metre mountain and the agency's alert level was raised to 3, warning people not to approach the volcano.

Source: Bangkok Post May 19, 2019 09:11 UTC