Japan's doomsday prediction: July 5 comic book prophecy sparks panic, tourists flee, flights cancelled

Indian Express

a day ago

Japan has suddenly been hit with a tourism crisis, with a large number of visitors spooked by a viral rumour about a massive fallout expected on July 5. Interestingly, the reason behind this national meltdown is a manga—almost a decade old—titled The Future I Saw. The 1995 comic, created by Ryo Tatsuki, describes a prophecy that on this very day, Japan would be struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami, one powerful enough to impact neighbouring countries too. According to Tatsuki, a retired mangaka now in her 70s, the tsunami would be three times bigger than a usual one. What's eerie is that one of her earlier predictions, the 2011 disaster, had already come true. And now, with this resurfacing, the country has witnessed a sharp drop in tourism, people fleeing, and in some parts, even mass flight cancellations.
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The Future I Saw was first published in 1999, and it was then re-released in 2021. The book includes a series of dreams, Tastsuki had many involving disasters. One of those dreams allegedly predicted the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami, which claimed the lives of thousands and caused mass destruction, even damaging the Fukushima nuclear plant. Because of that past, many, including the Japanese people themselves, are taking her latest dream, one that warns of a huge disaster on July 5, 2025. However, Ryo Tatsuki has made it clear she is no prophet. In a statement through her publisher, she distanced herself from the growing speculation, but the panic has already spread.
According to Reuters, Japan, which saw a record number of visitors between January and March, witnessed a sudden dip starting in May. 'The rumours have had a significant impact,' said Steve Huen, an executive at a Hong Kong-based travel agency. 'Discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance prevented Japan-bound travel from dropping to zero,' he added. His agency reported a 50% drop in bookings. Meanwhile, budget airline Greater Bay Airlines announced it was cancelling flights to Tokushima, stating that demand had completely collapsed. Ironically, while panic spreads, The Future I Saw has sold over a million copies and is now front and centre in bookstore displays. At one Tokyo shop, a warning sign next to the book reads: 'Whether you believe it or not is up to you.'
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Scientists from various parts of the world have weighed in on the situation, saying earthquakes cannot be predicted beforehand. Professor Robert Geller, a seismologist at the University of Tokyo, assured that in his experience, he has never seen any psychic or scientific prediction ever turn out to be reliable. He's been studying quakes since the 1970s and says: 'None of the predictions I've experienced in my scientific career have come close at all.' But fears are still growing as an earthquake did hit the country on July 2. Then again, it also has something to do with Japan's geographical conditions. The country sits on the Ring of Fire, where earthquakes are common. Not one or two, but over 900 small tremors were recorded in the country over the last few weeks, especially around the southern islands of Kyushu.