The first eruption in 52-years at Shinmoedake Volcano in southern Japan is disputing flights in the region.

The 1,400-metre volcano has been pumping ash into the atmosphere for over a week, with a significant increase in activity recorded today.

One gigantic blast from the volcano is reported to have shattered windows 12 kilometres away. A woman in a nursing home was injured by flying glass, while three other people were also hurt.

The explosion also felled trees and sent boulders hurtling on to roads.

The volcano - which featured in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice - has also forced international flights to be delayed and triggered the evacuation of hundreds of people.

Many are taking refuge in emergency shelters in the surrounding area, 590 miles south-west of Tokyo.

Cathay Pacific Airways announced flights to and from Nagoya, Tokyo and Osaka would be hit.

“We are closely monitoring the development and will be assessing the situation as more information becomes available,” explained a statement.

”Passengers are advised to check the airline’s website, www.cathaypacific.com, for up-to-date information before departing for the airport.”

Scheduled flights are expected to return to normal throughout the day, operating above the ash cloud.

In April last year the eruption of the Eyjafjoell Volcano in Iceland dispersed a vast cloud of ash triggering a huge shutdown of airspace that affected more than 100,000 flights and eight million passengers.