The Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima prefecture in southwestern Japan erupted early Sunday, sending ash and smoke as high as 4,400 meters (14,436 feet), Kyodo News reported.

The eruption continued after the initial blast, leading the local weather agency to issue an ashfall forecast for the Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures.

There have been no reports of injuries or structural damage.

The eruption occurred around 12.57 am(1557GMT Saturday) at the Minamidake crater and produced a plume surpassing 4,000 meters for the first time since Oct. 18 last year, according to the local meteorological observatory.

Large volcanic rocks were hurled as far as the fifth station, though no pyroclastic flows were observed. The alert level remains at three out of five, limiting access to the volcano.

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is connected to the Osumi Peninsula on Kyushu, the southwestern main island. It used to be an island until a lava flow in 1914 formed a land bridge to the peninsula.