Latest news with #HirokiIto
Japan Forward
18-05-2025
- Japan Forward
Flights Reduced as Earthquake 'Prophecy' Spooks Hong Kong Travelers
A "prophecy" circulating on social media in Hong Kong claims that a major earthquake will hit Japan in July. In response, Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines has announced it will reduce flights between Hong Kong and Japan. The airline will cut one round trip per week from each of its routes: four weekly flights to Sendai and three to Tokushima. These changes will be in effect from May 13 to October 25. The airline cited a drop in passenger numbers driven by the so-called prophecy as the reason for the reduction. Hiroki Ito, head of Greater Bay Airlines' Japan office, said, "In February, we saw spring bookings fall by about 30% compared to our projections." He added, "After looking into it, we found that many people in Hong Kong believed the 'prophecy.' With further declines expected as July approaches, we decided to scale back flights in order to maintain the viability of the routes." Tourists crowd an area near Kyomizdudera in Kyoto. According to Hong Kong media, the rumor originated from the manga The Future I Saw: Complete Edition (2022) by artist Ryo Tatsuki, which is also available in Chinese. The speculation was sparked by a line in the book stating, "The real catastrophe will come in July 2025." Tatsuki previously gained attention for allegedly "predicting" the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in a manga published in 1996. Additionally, a well-known feng shui master in Hong Kong claimed that the risk of earthquakes in Japan will be higher between June and August. Concerns grew further after Japan's Central Disaster Management Council released updated damage projections for a potential Nankai Trough megathrust earthquake. On April 14, the Chinese Embassy in Japan urged Chinese residents to take disaster preparedness measures. At an April 17 press conference, Tokushima Governor Masazumi Gotoda recalled a conversation with Greater Bay Airlines CEO Liza Ng, during which she shared concerns about the situation in Hong Kong. He said, "Disasters can happen anywhere. What matters is having systems in place to protect both our citizens and visitors in case of an emergency." At a press conference on April 23, Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai commented, "It's a serious issue when unscientific claims spread on social media and impact tourism. Japanese people aren't fleeing the country, so I want to reassure everyone to please visit Japan with peace of mind." The Japan Meteorological Agency states on its website: "In general, information that predicts the specific date and location of an earthquake is considered to be a hoax." ( Read the article in Japanese . ) Author: The Sankei Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
26-04-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
Quake rumor in Hong Kong puts flight bookings to Japan at risk
A rumor circulating in Hong Kong that a huge earthquake and tsunami will hit Japan this summer led to such a sharp drop in flight bookings that one airline was forced to reduce its services to Japan. The impact of the hearsay prompted the Cabinet Office in Tokyo to post the following to its official X account on the evening of April 24: 'It is difficult from current scientific knowledge to predict earthquakes by specifying the time and location.' An official in the section that handles disaster management said the move was in response to several 'prophecies' that sprung up after a forecast by the Japanese government's Earthquake Research Committee of around an '80 percent chance' of a megaquake hitting a wide area of Japan's Pacific coastline within the next 30 years. The death toll from such a Nankai Trough earthquake with a magnitude of 8 or 9 was put at 298,000. Fears that Japan would face a disaster comparable to the one that devastated northeastern Japan in 2011 apparently spread in Hong Kong through social media by those who had read or heard about separate prophecies by a famed local feng shui master and a Japanese manga artist. Around mid-May, Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines decided to suspend one roundtrip flight a week on two routes linking Hong Kong with Sendai in the Tohoku region and Tokushima in Shikoku in central Japan. The airline noticed in late February that reservations for late March and April were not increasing as they had in past years, which was strange because bookings are traditionally in demand for cherry blossom viewing in Japan as well as the Easter holiday in Hong Kong. 'We expected around 80 percent of the seats to be taken, but actual reservations came to only 40 percent,' said Hiroki Ito, the general manager of the airline's Japan office. Demand for the Tokushima flights also decreased sharply, apparently due to the rumors. One trigger for the drop in flight reservations was apparently due to a manga published in 2021 by Ryo Tatsuki titled 'Watashi ga Mita Mirai, Kanzenban' (The future that I saw, complete edition). The strip cartoon, which became a best-seller, featured dialogue about a major natural disaster striking Japan in July 2025. Ito said many Hong Kongers are superstitious and believed in the 'prophecy,' with the result that flights bookings dropped off sharply. However, Greater Bay Airlines has no plans to reduce the number of flights from Hong Kong to Narita and Kansai airports. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, which operate similar flight routes, said there was no noticeable decrease in reservations on their flights. The Japan National Tourism Organization's Hong Kong office said it was aware of the rumor making the rounds in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan of an impending major earthquake in Japan. An official said the office is still collecting information to confirm reports about prospective visitors to Japan cancelling their plans. Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai told an April 23 news conference, 'It would be a major problem if the spread of non-scientific rumors on social media had an effect on tourism.' He added, 'There is no reason to worry because Japanese are not fleeing abroad. I hope people will ignore the rumors and visit.' Hiromichi Nakamori, a professor of natural disaster information studies at Nihon University in Tokyo, noted it was easy for such rumors to spread in Japan and elsewhere because the frequency of quakes in Japan produces a subliminal worry. He added that the six students from China who he supervises had all read or heard rumors over social media that an earthquake would strike Japan on July 5. Based on past research, Nakamori said that rumors often come in cycles after a famous prognosticator or fortune teller gets quoted as having said something of interest, even if it is made up, resulting in a vicious cycle Social media simply makes the spread of rumors easier and faster. (This article was written by Shoko Rikimaru, Ikuko Abe, Ryo Oyama, Koki Furuhata and Shiori Tabuchi.)
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bayern Munich Injury Crisis Worsens Ahead Of Inter Milan Champions League Tie – Another Defender Out For The Season
Bayern Munich Injury Crisis Worsens Ahead Of Inter Milan Champions League Tie – Another Defender Out For The Season Bayern Munich Injury Crisis Worsens Ahead Of Inter Milan Champions League Tie – Another Defender Out For The Season In yet another devastating blow, Bayern Munich will lose defender Hiroki Ito for their Champions League tie against Inter Milan. This according to Italian outlet FCInterNews. They report that the Japanese international has fractured his right metatarsal and will miss the remainder of the season. Advertisement Bayern Munich are already in the midst of a full-blown injury crisis. The German giants lost the likes of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano to knee injuries during the international break. The loss of two such pillars of the starting back four was, putting it mildly, not welcome news for Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. However, if there was a silver lining for Bayern, it was the defensive depth. The Bavarians brought in defender Hiroki Ito from Stuttgart last summer. The 25-year-old missed a big chunk of the first part of the season with injury. However, Ito has managed to get a run of matches over the last few months. Bayern Munich Lose Hiroki Ito For Inter Milan Tie Hiroki Ito came off the bench for Bayern in yesterday's Bundesliga clash with St. Pauli. Advertisement However, the 25-year-old left the pitch in tears after an apparent foot injury. MUNICH, GERMANY – MARCH 29: Hiroki Ito of Bayern Munich leaves the field after picking up an injury during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and FC St. Pauli 1910 at Allianz Arena on March 29, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by) And today, Bayern confirmed that the problem is a serious one for Ito. The Japanese has suffered a fracture to the metatarsal bone in his right foot. Therefore, Ito will miss the rest of the current campaign. That means that Bayern coach Vincent Kompany will find his defensive options very limited indeed for next month's Champions League quarterfinal tie against Inter Milan. Considering the injuries to Davies and Upamecano, Ito would have been all but certain to play a role in that tie. Kim Min-Jae is available despite nagging fitness concerns. Then, the likes of Raphael Guerreiro, Eric Dier, and Konrad Laimer will certainly be called upon.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ito injury adds to Bayern's defensive woes
Bayern Munich's Japanese defender Hiroki Ito has added to the Bundesliga leaders injury problems in defence (Alexandra BEIER) Bayern Munich's defensive injury crisis deepened on Sunday as the Bundesliga leaders announced Hiroki Ito had fractured his metatarsal for a second time this season. The 25-year-old Japanese international broke the metatarsal in his right foot in Saturday's 3-2 win over St Pauli. Advertisement Bayern on Sunday said Ito had "suffered a recurrence of a fracture in his right metatarsal". Ito, who joined from Stuttgart last summer, missed the first half of the season with the same injury, which required two operations. Ito joins centre-back Dayot Upamecano and wing-back Alphonso Davies on the injured list, with the trio all expected to miss the remainder of the season. Davies tore his ACL while on international duty with Canada while Upamecano is expected back in May at the earliest with a knee injury. Bayern are also awaiting the return of captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who injured his calf in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 clash with Bayer Leverkusen. Advertisement Neuer was set to return in March but his comeback has been delayed after a setback in his recovery. "After the injuries to Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano, we've now lost a third defender in a short space of time," sporting director Max Eberl said in a statement. "We will now pool our forces even more to continue pursuing our goals." Bayern's remaining centre-backs are England veteran Eric Dier and South Korean Min-jae Kim, the latter who missed a match in March with an Achilles problem. Bayern presently top the Bundesliga standings with a six-point lead over defending champions Bayer Leverkusen. Advertisement The German giants are through to the quarter finals of the Champions League where they face Inter Milan, with the first match in Munich on April 8th. This season's Champions League final will be held at Bayern's Allianz Arena home. dwi/pi
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ito's second foot break confirmed as Bayern's defence ravaged
Saudi Arabia's Marwan Al-Sahafi (R) and Japan's Hiroki Ito (L) and Takumi Minamino (C) battle for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification soccer football match between Saudi Arabia and Japan in Saitama. -/Saudi Press Agency/dpa Bayern Munich defender Hiroki Ito will be sidelined for an extended period due to another metatarsal fracture, the Bundesliga leaders said on Sunday. The Japan international, who joined Bayern from VfB Stuttgart last June, had already suffered a break in the same foot shortly after moving and was out until February. Advertisement "After the injuries to Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano, Hiroki is now the third defender to be ruled out in a very short time. We will now have to pool all our resources even more to continue pursuing our goals," head of sport Max Eberl said in a statement. Canada's Davies suffered a cruciate knee ligament tear on international duty, with Bayern considering legal action, while France's Upamecano also has a knee problem. Ito sustained his injury during the 3-2 Bundesliga victory against St Pauli on Saturday. He came on in the 58th minute but had to leave the pitch again in the 89th minute, leaving Bayern down to 10 after they had used all their substitutes. Advertisement "The news of a serious injury hitting Hiroki again is very hard for all of us. He had just fought his way back after months of rehab and is now out for a long time again – you can only imagine what he's going through right now," Eberl said. "We will give him all the support he needs. He's a fighter, and we look forward to seeing him back on the pitch. Keep your head up, Hiroki – Bayern are by your side." Bayern have cover across the backline but any further defensive injuries could seriously complicate the Bundesliga run-in and their Champions League tilt. The backline from the first half against St Pauli - consisting of Konrad Laimer, Eric Dier, Min jae Kim and Raphaël Guerreiro - is likely to be the defence for the decisive weeks ahead.
