Manga Creator's July 5 Tsunami Prediction Shakes Japan Tourism By 83%

News18

5 days ago

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Ryo Tatsuki, often dubbed the 'New Baba Vanga,' has predicted a devastating tsunami set to strike Japan in July 2025, sparking widespread concern and speculation.
Renowned Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, hailed by some as the 'New Baba Vanga," has caused a stir with her chilling prediction of a massive tsunami set to hit Japan in July. Her manga series, The Future I Saw, envisions a catastrophic disaster unfolding on July 5, according to The Guardian. Many interpret this event as either a devastating tsunami or a powerful earthquake triggered by an undersea fault line between Japan and the Philippines, the publication states.
This striking forecast has ignited widespread apprehension, prompting many to reconsider travel plans and brace for potential natural calamities.
Although Tatsuki's predictions lack scientific evidence, they have gained attention because she previously accurately foresaw the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan—a tragedy that caused over 18,000 deaths and triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Following Tatsuki's alarming predictions, flight bookings to Japan have reportedly seen a dramatic decline. Overall, bookings have dropped by 83 per cent as travellers, particularly from East Asia, reconsider their plans amid rising fears of the predicted catastrophe.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, flight bookings from Hong Kong have dropped by 50 per cent compared to the same period last year. Reservations for travel between late June and early July have seen an even sharper decline of up to 83 per cent, highlighting the significant impact Tatsuki's predictions are having on Japan's tourism sector.
In addition, a Hong Kong-based travel agency reportedly revealed a 50 per cent decline in bookings to Japan during the April–May spring break. Many travellers have either cancelled their summer plans or postponed trips altogether, citing growing anxiety over Tatsuki's unsettling prediction.
Meanwhile, Japanese authorities have advised the public to ignore Ryo Tatsuki's predictions, emphasising that they are baseless and have no grounding in scientific evidence.
'It would be a major problem if the spread of unscientific rumours on social media affected tourism. There is no reason to worry because the Japanese are not fleeing abroad … I hope people will ignore the rumours and visit," Yoshihiro Murai, governor of Miyagi prefecture, said at a press conference, per the Daily Mail.
While Japanese officials have dismissed Ryo Tatsuki's predictions as unfounded, they remain concerned about the nation's real seismic risks.
Japan's location along the Pacific 'Ring of Fire" makes it highly susceptible to earthquakes. However, experts stress that predicting the exact timing and location of such events remains beyond the scope of current scientific capability. Even Ryo Tatsuki herself has reportedly urged caution, advising people not to take her forecasts too literally and to rely on expert guidance instead of being swayed by fear.
Ryo Tatsuki, the 'New Baba Vanga": Her Notable Past Predictions
– 1995 Kobe Earthquake: Tatsuki reportedly foresaw this devastating earthquake, marking one of her earliest predictions tied to real-life events.
– 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami: She predicted this tragic disaster, which claimed over 22,000 lives and led to the Fukushima nuclear crisis, greatly boosting her credibility.
– COVID-19 Pandemic: In her manga The Future I Saw, Tatsuki referred to a virus outbreak in 2020, a prediction that many later linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
– Death of Freddie Mercury: Tatsuki also claimed to have predicted the passing of the iconic Queen frontman, adding another eerie tick to her list of forecasts.
First Published:
June 05, 2025, 13:01 IST