A wave of panic is sweeping through Japan’s tourism industry amid a chilling prediction by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki — a woman now being dubbed the “Japanese Baba Vanga.” Tour cancellations are piling up, flights are being cut, and anxiety is spreading fast — all tied to one ominous claim: that a catastrophic disaster will hit southern Japan on July 5, 2025.
Tatsuki, the creator of the cult manga The Future I Saw, has long claimed to possess prophetic abilities dating back to the 1980s. Some of her previous forecasts — including events tied to specific dates — have reportedly come true, lending her predictions a devoted following. But her vision of a “boiling ocean” engulfing parts of southern Japan has resurfaced with alarming momentum, especially after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar on March 28.
That real-life quake reignited public fears. In the aftermath, Japanese authorities released updated worst-case models for a megaquake along the Nankai Trough. The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo followed with a travel advisory, urging citizens to remain alert and consider postponing trips to Japan. This perfect storm of events triggered a chain reaction of cancellations — particularly among travelers from Hong Kong.
According to NDTV, flight bookings to Japan have dropped to 83%, and at least two major Hong Kong airlines have scaled back routes. The Tokushima Tourism Promotion Division called the cancellation surge “unexpected,” blaming “unverified rumors” for scaring off visitors.
But scientists are urging calm — and reason.
“There is no scientific method capable of predicting the exact time or location of an earthquake,” said Professor Sekiya Naoya of the University of Tokyo in an interview with NHK. “This is fear-mongering, not science.”
Kimiro Meguro, an expert in disaster mitigation at Tokyo University, echoed those sentiments: “A decades-old manga cannot serve as a forecast for real seismic activity. These kinds of rumors only increase public fear and can have broader negative impacts.”
Fueling the frenzy further, a Hong Kong feng shui practitioner recently suggested that Japan could face a powerful quake in early July — adding fuel to the speculative fire. But experts caution that the viral spread of unverified predictions, especially on social media, is causing genuine harm to Japan’s economy and public morale.
Even Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai has spoken out, condemning the influence of superstition on national behavior. “When scientifically unsupported claims go viral and start disrupting industries like tourism, it becomes a serious issue,” he warned.
With July 5 fast approaching, the nation watches with a mix of curiosity and unease. But experts continue to emphasize: fear should not override facts.
For now, Ryo Tatsuki’s prediction remains what it has always been — a rumor. And as history has shown time and again, only time can separate prophecy from paranoia.