A volcanic eruption has given birth to a “new island” in Japan, the BBC reports. The island was reportedly “forced up” by an underwater volcanic eruption that took place approximately 1,000 km south of Tokyo. Citing the Japanese media, the BBC adds that the last time a volcano developed a new island in the area was in the 1970s.

LiveScience reports that the volcanic eruption was announced by earthquakes on November 18. Several days later, steam and angry seas trumpeted the arrival of the new island.

The Associated Press reports that the small island is roughly 660 feet in diameter and near to Nishinoshima, a tiny island in the Ogaaswara chain (a.k.a. Bonin Islands). This chain of about 30 islands are part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”

According to National Geographic, the Ring of Fire is a series of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire is shaped more like a 40,000-km horseshoe. There are plenty of active volcanoes located in the Ring of Fire, especially on the ring’s eastern edge.

Hiroshi Ito, a volcanologist with the Japanese cost guard, told the FNN news network that the new island “could remain permanently” or it could erode away.

Citing news reports, LiveScience notes that if the volcano stays around long enough to construct a permanent island, it could complicate territory issues between Japan and China.

What did you think of the video? Is the new island here to stay or will it erode away?