TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A comic has led many tourists to cancel their trips to Japan. According to The Independent, ticket bookings from Hong Kong to Japan dropped by up to 50 percent after a manga artist released a comic predicting a natural disaster.
The comic, titled The Future I Saw by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, includes a prediction that an earthquake will strike Japan in July. Originally published in 1999, the comic portrays the illustrator’s cartoon version of her visions and dreams.
In a more complete edition released in 2021, Tatsuki "predicts" that on July 5, 2025, a seabed crack between Japan and the Philippines will trigger massive waves hitting the land. The unsubstantiated prediction claims that this seismic event will cause waves three times higher than those in the 2011 tsunami.
Tatsuki had previously warned of a major disaster in March 2011, a date that coincidentally aligned with the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Since that prediction, she has gained a devoted following, selling 900,000 copies of The Future I Saw, including Mandarin-language print editions, according to the book’s publisher.
Supported by Psychics
Tatsuki’s prediction has been backed by psychics from Japan and Hong Kong. They shared similar warnings on social media. Qi Xian Yu, a popular feng shui influencer known as "Master Seven," advised travelers to stay away from Japan.
Minor earthquakes are not unusual in Japan due to its location at the convergence of several tectonic plates. In January, Japan’s earthquake research panel raised the probability of a major earthquake (magnitude 8 or higher) hitting the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years to more than 80 percent.
However, seismologists say it is nearly impossible to predict exactly when an earthquake will occur. The Disaster Prevention Division of Japan’s Cabinet Office posted on X/Twitter last month that earthquakes are hard to forecast.
"With current scientific knowledge, it is difficult to predict earthquakes by determining the date, time, and location, so please be aware that earthquakes can happen at any time and make continuous preparations."
Drop in Holiday Bookings
The comic has affected not only travelers from Hong Kong but also from China, Thailand, and Vietnam. CN Yuen, managing director of Hong Kong travel agency WWPKG, told local media that bookings to Japan were cut in half during the Easter holidays. The decline has continued, as many travelers have postponed their trips.
Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun reported that in April, Hong Kong airline Greater Bay Airlines announced it would reduce its Sendai service from four to three weekly flights and its Tokushima service in western Japan from three to two weekly flights from May 12 to October 25.
The airline cited a sharp drop in demand due to speculation that a major disaster may hit Japan in July. It also noted that economic uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies contributed to the decision to scale back operations.
Mainichi Shimbun also reported last week that the 70-year-old Tatsuki urged travelers not to be overly influenced by her comic's predictions and to follow expert advice instead.
Despite concerns among some international tourists, Japan welcomed over 10 million foreign visitors through March 2025. In April alone, the number of foreign arrivals surged 28.5 percent year-on-year to a record 3.91 million, according to official data.
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