Comic book ‘catastrophe warning' prompts superstitious travellers to cancel Japan trips
A comic book has sparked travel anxiety in East Asia with predictions that a 'real catastrophe' will hit Japan this summer.
The Future I Saw, a comic book by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, has prompted some tourists to cancel their Japan trips after it claimed that an earthquake will rock the country in July.
The comic, originally published in 1999, depicts cartoon versions of the illustrator and visions of her dreams.
In the comic's 'complete' 2021 edition, Tatsuki 'predicted' that on 5 July 2025, a seabed crack between Japan and the Philippines will send giant waves ashore.
The unfounded claims say that 'the sea boils south of Japan in July 2025', adding that the major seismic event will see waves three times taller than the 2011 tsunami.
Tatsuki previously warned of a major disaster in March 2011 – a date that happened to coincide with the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Since the prediction, Tatsuki has gained a cult following, selling 900,000 copies of The Future I Saw, including printed editions in Chinese, according to the book's publisher.
Psychics from Japan and Hong Kong have since shared similar warnings on social media, with Qi Xian Yu, a popular feng shui influencer known as 'Master Seven', urging travellers to stay away from Japan.
Mild earthquakes are not uncommon in Japan due to its position at the intersection of several tectonic plates.
In January, Japan's earthquake investigation panel increased the probability of a megaquake (magnitude 8 or higher) striking the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years to over 80 per cent.
However, according to seismologists, it is almost impossible to predict exactly when an earthquake will happen.
Japan's Cabinet Office Disaster Prevention Division said on X/Twitter last month: 'With current scientific knowledge, it is difficult to predict an earthquake by specifying its date, time and location, so please be aware that earthquakes can occur at any time and make preparations on an ongoing basis.'
Regardless, inbound tourism from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam has dipped following the unfounded earthquake-related rumours on social media.
CN Yuen, managing director of WWPKG, a Hong Kong travel agency, told local media that Japan bookings dropped by half during the Easter holiday, with a further decline expected as travellers 'hold off' on trips.
Frankie Chow, head of Hong Kong travel agency CLS Holiday, similarly said to AFP: 'The earthquake prophecy has absolutely caused a big change to our customers' preferences.'
Chow reported up to 80 per cent fewer inquiries on Japan travels in comparison to last year.
At a press conference in April, Yoshihiro Murai, the governor of earthquake-prone Miyagi, slammed the influence of superstition on travel.
He said: 'I believe it is a serious issue when the spread of highly unscientific rumours on social media has an effect on tourism.'
Mainichi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, reported last week that 70-year-old Tatsuki had urged travellers not to be 'overly swayed' by her dreams and 'act appropriately based on expert opinions,' said CNN.
Although the fear-mongering seems to have had an impact on some travellers from China, Japan welcomed 3,497,600 undeterred international travellers in March 2025, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Review Geek
8 hours ago
- The Review Geek
Wind Breaker – Season 2 Episode 11 Recap & Review
Episode 11 Kanji and the rest excitedly celebrate at a restaurant where one of the Roppo-Ichiza members works. Even though they're mostly unscathed, and Suzuri and Shizuka are with them, some aren't that happy. Nirei is scared out of his mind, and Sakura is furious at the guy who attacked them. So, we go back to the start of that new confrontation. The strange tattooed man jumps off the roof of a bar, trying to copy the 'hero landing' they see on TV. Instead, he hurts his knees and complains about how hard it is. Still, Kanji and Tsubaki don't laugh at all his clownery; they put up stances, ready for a fight. When the guy starts speaking seriously again, Sakura and Suou do the same, noticing a shift in his tone. Suzuri intervenes, saying his deal was with him, which angers everyone. Even those who knew the mysterious man didn't expect he'd be the one behind everything. He actually was a Furin student from the same year as Tsubaki, but he left the school. His name's Endo Yamato, and he's a legend among the students. However, not knowing him, that doesn't impress Sakura, who insults him for trying to kidnap Shizuka. What affects the boy, however, is that Endo says he was there in the attack against KEEL, and he saw Sakura desperately fighting. With that, he realized Sakura didn't belong in Furin. Nirei is the first to jump out and defend Sakura, screaming Endo can't say that without knowing them. Tsubaki, Kanji, and Suou quickly follow behind, talking with their fists. To them, there's no one more fit to be in the school than him. Endo easily evades their blows, that is, until Sakura joins in and kicks him, which obligates the former student to defend. Yamato tries to calm their nerves, saying he doesn't think Sakura is beneath the school; it's quite the contrary. In his opinion, Furin only drags him down, so Sakura would be better off alone. When the boy says he's the only one who can choose where he goes, Endo forms a wicked smile, remembering someone else. Because of that, he gets excited to 'play' with them a little. But Suzuri comes in between them again, saying it's not their fault. He grovels in front of Endo, begging him to leave the others alone. The guy laughs hysterically at how humiliating that is and tells him he can solve their problem alone, intimidating the old man who ordered Shizuka's kidnapping. After that, he leaves, completely carefree, but not before scaring Sakura once again. It's clear he's a force to be reckoned with. Back to the present, Suzuri apologizes to Sakura about Endo, but the boy says he doesn't need to do that. He's only mad at Endo, so no one else needs to be sorry. Then, they start partying again and bring out a console, as Suzuri's biggest wish is to play games. He has a lot of fun doing that, even though he's awful. Tsubaki gets so happy with the situation that his eyes water. Sakura also plays for the first time, but he gets furious for losing every round. To this day, Endo has only given compliments to one person, so Kanji worries about what he wants with Sakura. Because of that, Tsubaki contacts Umemiya, who organizes a meeting with the three boys. The next day, Sakura, Suou, and Nirei go to Furin's roof to meet all the devas and their aides. The episode ends right when Umemiya is ready to start their discussion. The Episode Review Wind Breaker gives us its newest antagonist and the one behind every conflict we've seen throughout the season. Endo already feels like a threat by the way he looks, but his attitude is way worse. The episode doesn't give that much attention, but even with 4 people going against him, they can't land a single blow. The only one who hits him is Sakura, but he still defends himself. If Sakura has this guy going after him, he needs to step up his game fast. And talking about that, the gaming session is a nice change of pace here. The anime doesn't downplay Endo's arrival, but it gives us a chance to spend some time with the new characters. Tsubaki almost crying over Suzuri's happiness is a nice touch that shows how much being yourself is important to him. That's actually at the core of many characters in the series, but Sakura and Tsubaki embody it perfectly. The next episode is a big one because everything indicates Umemiya is finally telling the boys about when he changed Furin. With Endo being a former student, it makes a lot of sense for him to have been one of Umemiya's enemies in the past, as well. But there's probably another bigger problem, or at least there were. Sakura reminds him of someone, and that same 'someone' is the only person Endo ever complimented. As this new arc will be so deeply rooted in Furin and Umemiya's story, it's hard not to get excited. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Sony issuing refunds to PS5 owners over gaming blunder as players given ‘sincere apology' and promised urgent fix
SONY has announced that it will be issuing refunds over a gaming blunder. The gaming giant had to issue an apology after gamers experienced significant problems with one if its new releases. 2 2 Players of Mindseye faced glitches galore when they tried to run the game which is available on PS5, PC and Xbox series X/S. The third-person shooter game was released on June 10, but TheGamer reported that Sony has already started handing out refunds. In the past, Sony has been reluctant to offer refunds unless a game is almost entirely unplayable. Gamers have reported recurring crashes and a sub-30 frames-per-second running rate. Developers of the game Build a Rocket Boy issued an apology after users complained about the issues they were facing. They also promised a "hotfix" to address the immediate performance problems. Build a Rocket Boy said in their statement: "A heartfelt thank you to all our day-one players. We know the launch of Mindseye hasn't been without its challenges for some of you. "Right now, our top priority is game performance. We understand that the requirements are high and have limited the experience for many of you, and for this, we sincerely apologise. "Improving performance across all devices is our immediate focus. A patch that begins our commitment to address this is scheduled for the end of this week on PC, which will also roll out to consoles as soon as possible." Even before the game's release it was already the subject of controversy, with Push Square giving it a 3 out of 10 review. The game is described on Stream as "a narrative driven, single-player action-adventure thriller set in the near-future fictional desert city of Redrock. "Featuring best-in class cinematics, high octane driving, and explosive combat from game director Leslie Benzies." Reviews so far have been mostly negative, with nearly 1500 reviews averaging out at 2.5 stars. One recent 2/10 review reads: "Mindseye isn't disappointing - disappointment implies expectations. This is a $60 crash course in how to wrap a hollow experience in cinematic lighting and misleading trailers." Another customer who had their purchase refunded wrote: "Absolutely horrible game." Even without the technical problems, gamers criticised it as a "boring" cash grab with "stupid" side missions. They did, however, praise the game for its immersive cutscenes, although for many this wasn't enough to redeem it. Others were more positive, with one writing: "I recommend it once all the bugs are fixed." Another wrote: "I really believe this game could turn around. The potential is there." Promotional Twitch content was postponed after the developer became aware of some of the bugs - with popular streamer CohhCarnage having his stream cancelled just as he was about to begin promoting the game. Others content creators that had been paid to promote the game clearly showed its many issues - with streamers trying to talk through the game while it crashed.
The Independent
13 hours ago
- The Independent
Japan's chief meteorologist calls rumors of a July earthquake a hoax and urges people not to worry
The head of Japan 's meteorological agency on Friday dismissed widespread rumors of a major earthquake in Japan this summer as unscientific and a 'hoax," urging people not to worry because even the most advanced science still cannot predict any quake or tsunami. 'At the moment, it is still impossible to predict an earthquake with specific timing, location or its magnitude,' Japan Meteorological Agency Director General Ryoichi Nomura told reporters. 'Any such prediction is a hoax, and there is absolutely no need to worry about such disinformation." Nomura was referring to rumors in Hong Kong and other Asian cities of a major earthquake or a tsunami in July in Japan have led to flight cancellations and reductions in service, affecting tourism. He said it was 'unfortunate' that many people are affected by the disinformation, though he sympathized with the sense of unease that the people tend to develop toward something invisible. The rumor originates from a 2022 Japanese comic book 'The future I saw,' which features a dream foreseeing a tsunami and is also available in Chinese. The chatter began spreading earlier this year through social media, mainly in Hong Kong. The author previously gained attention for allegedly predicting the 2011 quake and tsunami in northern Japan, which killed more than 18,000 people. Japan, which sits on the Pacific 'ring of fire,' is one of the world's most quake-prone countries. Last summer, a panel of seismologists noted a slight increase in the probability of a megaquake on Japan's Pacific coasts. The government organized an awareness-raising week but only triggered panic buying, beach closures and other overreactions and complaints. While it is important to inform people about the science, Nomura said, it is also necessary for everyone in this quake-prone country to take early precautions. 'In Japan, an earthquake can occur anytime, anywhere,' Nomura said. 'So I ask everyone to take this opportunity to ensure your preparedness for a major quake.'
