A volcanic eruption in southern Japan has delayed international flights and shattered windows more than 10 kilometres away.

The 1,400-metre Shinmoedake volcano has been belching out smoke and ash since last week, the start of its first major eruption for 52 years.

But the eruptions have grown more intense in the last 24 hours, with one gigantic blast shattering windows 12 kilometres away.

A woman in a nursing home was injured by flying glass, while three other people were also hurt.

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.

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