<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/GettyImages-456336456.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0" srcset="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/GettyImages-456336456.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 400w, https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/GettyImages-456336456.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 800w" > Mount Sakurajima erupts in this overhead image taken Sept. 29, 2014. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

One of Japan's most active volcanoes could be headed for a much bigger eruption than the locals are used to seeing.

Mount Sakurajima erupts hundreds of times a year in small blasts, but scientists have studied the trends and history of the mountain and believe a big eruption could come soon , Wired reports. There are fears that it could be as large as the 1914 eruption that killed 35 people and was the most powerful in Japan in the 20th century, Earthquake Report said.

Over the past few days, seismic activity began to ramp up at the mountain , according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. A level 4 warning was issued Saturday by the JMA, and all residents within a 3-kilometer radius of the mountain were told they should prepare to evacuate.

(MORE: 12 Volcanoes That Could Erupt at Any Time )

The alerts remained in place Monday despite a large decline in earthquakes at Sakurajima , the Wall Street Journal said. This is the first level 4 warning issued for Sakurajima since the 5-level scale was developed 8 years ago, the report added.

"Right now that [evacuation possibility] is limited to 4,000 people on the same island as Sakurajima, but ash from any eruption (depending on the winds) could impact Kagoshima (population 600,000), located only 10 kilometers from Sakurajima," Wired added.

Simply put, the reason for the concern is that this activity is very similar to what happened in the days leading up to past major eruptions at Sakurajima. Scientists have installed sensors all over the mountain, which have relayed information in the past few days that suggests magma could be rising up the volcano, and that may lead to a large eruption soon, Wired said.

There is also a nuclear plant in Sendai , just 31 miles from the volcano, that was the first to be restarted in the area after the 2011 tsunami that devastated parts of Japan's east coast, according to the International Business Times.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: From 2013 – Sakurajima Erupts