A Japanese comic book’s dire warning about an impending disaster, along with predictions from psychics and feng shui masters, has spooked some travelers into canceling trips to Japan — despite scientists saying there’s no reliable way to forecast earthquakes.
While Japan is no stranger to doomsday predictions, this recent wave is causing noticeable ripples in its tourism industry. A mix of social media hype and superstitious warnings is fueling fear — particularly among travelers from East Asia.
The current panic centers around a manga titled The Future I Saw, originally published in 1999 by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki.
The comic eerily referenced a major disaster in March 2011 — the same month a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami devastated the Tohoku region.
That coincidence gave Tatsuki a cult following, and her revised 2021 edition of the book warns of another massive earthquake, this time predicted to strike in July 2025.
The new version warns that on July 5, “a crack will open up under the seabed between Japan and the Philippines,” unleashing waves “three times as tall” as those from the 2011 disaster.
Though Japanese seismologists continue to affirm that accurately predicting earthquakes is virtually impossible, the suggestion of a “big one” has still made many would-be travelers uneasy.
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Psychics and influencers have amplified the anxiety. In April, a self-proclaimed psychic from Japan forecasted a massive quake in the Tokyo Bay Area on April 26 — a date that came and went without incident. Still, that prediction went viral, particularly on Chinese social media.
In Hong Kong, feng shui master and TV personality Qi Xian Yu, also known as Master Seven, echoed similar warnings, advising people to avoid Japan starting in April.
The speculation has led to a tangible dip in travel bookings. CN Yuen, managing director of Hong Kong travel agency WWPKG, noted that trips to Japan “dropped by half during the Easter holiday” and are expected to decline further. The fear, he said, has become “ingrained.” Travelers, he added, are telling agents, “they want to hold off their trip for now.”
Tatsuki’s manga, which features her cartoon self sharing prophetic dreams with others, has sold 900,000 copies, according to its publisher, and has been translated into Chinese. Her fans believe she also foresaw the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic — although critics argue her visions are “too vague to be taken seriously.”
Speaking to Mainichi Shimbun, Tatsuki said she views the increased disaster awareness from her work “very positively,” but urged readers not to be “overly swayed” by her dreams and to “act appropriately based on expert opinions.”
The Japanese government has also addressed the growing alarm. Japan’s Cabinet Office posted on X (formerly Twitter), reminding the public that “modern technology has yet to be able to accurately predict an earthquake.”
Meanwhile, Yoshihiro Murai, governor of quake-prone Miyagi prefecture, criticized the influence of superstition on travel. “I believe it is a serious issue when the spread of highly unscientific rumors on social media had an effect on tourism,” he said at a press conference.
The psychological impact, sometimes referred to as the “prophecy effect,” is difficult to measure. While some are clearly staying away, Japan’s tourism statistics tell a more nuanced story.
Samantha Tang, a yoga teacher from Hong Kong who has vacationed in Japan annually since the pandemic, said she canceled her planned August trip to Wakayama due to the chatter. “Everyone says so much about an earthquake coming,” she said.
Another frequent visitor, Oscar Chu, also from Hong Kong, has opted out this year, saying, “It’s best to avoid it. It’s going to be really troublesome if an earthquake indeed happens.” He added that while he’s not overly afraid of earthquakes themselves, he worries about potential travel chaos.
Still, many tourists remain undeterred. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, 10.5 million visitors came to Japan in the first quarter of 2025 — a record high. That includes 2.36 million from mainland China (up 78% from last year), and 647,600 from Hong Kong, a 3.9% increase.
American, Canadian, and Australian tourists are also arriving in significant numbers — 343,000 Americans, 68,000 Canadians, and 85,000 Australians visited Japan in March alone.
Hong Kong resident Vic Shing is one of those moving forward with travel plans. He’s heading to Tokyo and Osaka in June and, despite the viral warnings, isn’t changing his mind. “Earthquake predictions have never been accurate,” he said. And even if one happens, “Japan has encountered many massive earthquakes before. It shouldn’t be too bad when it comes to disaster management.”
(CNN)
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