FACT CHECK: Photo of Mount Fuji eruption is AI-generated

Claim: Japan’s Mount Fuji has erupted for the first time. 

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The post bearing the claim has already received 2,300 reactions, 1,300 shares, and 181 comments as of writing. It was posted on January 10 on a Facebook page named “EndTimes News.” 

The post shows an image of the snow-capped Fuji with lava flowing down its slopes and emitting a thick ash plume. The post’s caption is styled like a breaking news story, stating, “In an unprecedented and alarming event, Mount Fuji, long known for its serene, snow-covered peak and considered dormant for centuries, has erupted for the first time, shocking both scientists and residents across Japan.”

The facts: Mount Fuji has not erupted as of January 2026. Its last recorded eruption was on December 16, 1707, more than 300 years ago. It has remained dormant since.

The photo used in the post is AI-generated. AI image detector Sight Engine flagged the photo as 89% likely to be AI-generated, with 39% likelihood of the use of Flux and 36% probability of the use of Wan. Flux and Wan are two text-to-image AI models used to generate images from textual descriptions.

AI detector Hive Moderation also flagged the photo as 99.9% likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content. Undetectable AI only detected 2% likelihood of authenticity on the photo, indicating that the image is likely created by AI tools. 

The post did not have a disclaimer indicating that the photo was made using AI tools, prompting some Facebook users to believe that it was real. Others, however, expressed concern about the post spreading false information about Mount Fuji. 

Japan’s highest peak: The 3,776-meter Mount Fuji is an active volcano located just 100 kilometers west of Tokyo. In 2014, over 4,000 people joined a mass evacuation drill to test responses to a possible eruption of Mount Fuji following the unexpected eruption of Mount Ontake, Japan’s second-highest volcano. 

While there have been no recent observed unrest at Fuji, Japanese authorities continue to prepare specific measures to anticipate the “worst-case scenario.” 

A Japanese official noted in Japan’s National Daily, “Mount Fuji has not erupted in over 300 years since the Hoei eruption (in 1707), but an eruption could happen at any time. Ashfall poses risks to human health, so we want to encourage residents to stockpile masks and goggles.”

In August 2025, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government released an AI-generated video of Mount Fuji erupting, but its purpose was to raise awareness about the potential impact of an eruption and call for better preparation among Tokyo residents. 

Volcanic eruption: The posting of an AI-generated photo of Mount Fuji coincided with the recent unrest at Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. Mayon Volcano is currently under Alert Level 3 as of writing, indicating intensified or magmatic unrest. 

Previous fact-checks: Rappler has previously debunked similar claims about volcanic eruptions: 

• FACT CHECK: AI-generated video misrepresented as Mayon Volcano eruption 
• FACT CHECK: Video of explosive Mayon eruption is AI-generated 
• FACT CHECK: Videos of Mayon eruption are AI-generated, volcano at Alert Level 3 as of January 9 
• FACT CHECK: No announcement of January 8 lockdown in Luzon due to Mayon Volcano unrest 
• FACT CHECK: No sudden phreatic eruption at Mayon Volcano on August 13 
• FACT CHECK: Viral video of Kanlaon Volcano eruption is AI-generated 
• FACT CHECK: Yellowstone supervolcano not due to erupt anytime soon 
• FACT CHECK: Old Taal Volcano video resurfaces amid vog in nearby areas 
• PARTLY FALSE: Pacific Ring of Fire ‘now active’ 

– Angelee Kaye Abelinde/Rappler.com 

Angelee Kaye Abelinde is a student journalist based in Naga City, and an alumna of Rappler’s Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship 2024. 

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