Crater lake in eastern Japan draws crowds after 8-year closure

An emerald-green crater lake in eastern Japan drew crowds of tourists Tuesday as the surrounding area reopened for the first time in more than eight years following a reduction in the volcanic alert level.The town of Kusatsu in Gunma Prefecture lifted entry restrictions to the area surrounding the Yugama crater lake on Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane, which straddles Gunma and Nagano prefectures.Visitors crowded the trails and observation deck to see the lake, while traffic jams formed on nearby roads.Yoichi Takeshita, 59, who visited with his wife from Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, said, "I heard the…READ FULL ARTICLE