Latest news with #Japan-bound
The National
a day ago
- Sport
- The National
Nick Percy on the juggle, peaking and facing the world's best
Not Nick Percy, however. At the age of 30, the discus thrower is currently better than he's ever been, and he's optimistic there's plenty more still to come. Earlier this year, Percy set a new Scottish record of 67.86m by over a metre, bettering his previous mark which he set last year on his way to making his Olympic debut at Paris 2024. That he's only now approaching his best has come as little surprise to Percy, who has been competing on the international stage for over a decade. 'Yes, I'm closer to the end of my career than the beginning, but I'm not actually at my peak yet, I don't think. I believe there's still room for improvement,' the Isle of Wight-based athlete says 'In discus, the older you get, the more stable, the more relaxed and the more patient you get and throwing far is so much down to timing and experience. 'Discus is generally an old man's game so as long as you stay healthy, you can be competing well into your 30s. 'So for me, I believe there's still a lot more in the tank. Whether I can achieve that or not is part of the excitement of the next few years.' Percy's Scottish record came just weeks into the season and had the added bonus of securing the qualification standard for this season's World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo in September. While this alone doesn't guarantee Percy's place in the GB team for what would be his third World Championships appearance following his selections in 2017 and 2022, it goes quite some way to ensuring he'll be Japan-bound. A top-two finish at next month's British Championships is still required to confirm his ticket to Tokyo but Percy acknowledges his excellent early season form has removed a considerable amount of the stress of the summer from his shoulders. That the Scot is competing on this stage at all is something of a miracle given quite how different his circumstances are to almost all of his peers. While his compatriots such as Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Laura Muir et al all have the luxury of being full-time athletes (and have been for a number of years), Percy combines his status as an international athlete with his full-time job as a PE teacher at Ryde School with Upper Chine. (Image:) It makes for a challenging schedule and while Percy, who did train full-time in his mid-twenties, admits that while the privilege of being a full-time athlete once again would likely not be something he'd turn down if the opportunity arose, he's more than happy with his current set-up. 'Combining athletics and work means there are some weeks I want to pull my hair out but most of the time, I really enjoy it,' Percy says of the juggle. 'There can be really tricky weeks where training has to be very much reduced because of work so doing both does bring unusual challenges because most people at this standard are just training, sleeping, eating and repeating, whereas I have some different stresses in the mix. 'So while it is difficult, it's not impossible. Other people do it too, so I can't complain too much and I have had my chance of being full-time and that's helped to get me to where I am now. I would love to have the opportunity again to train full-time, but also I'm 30 years old and I don't want to let go of what might be my long-term, professional career in a few years' time.' With Percy in the form of his athletics' life, he's in as good a position as he's ever been to take on the very best in the world. Today, the Scot will take to the field at the London Athletics Meet in what has been described as one of the greatest discus fields ever assembled outwith the Olympics or World Championships. From Olympic champion Roje Stona to world champion Daniel Ståhl to world record holder Mykolas Alekna to British record holder Lawrence Okoye, Percy is in little doubt as to how stiff a test this afternoon's competition will be. And given the Scot is significantly smaller physically than most of his discus peers - Percy is 6ft 2in in comparison to Alekna's 6ft 11in - competing in the way he does with such physical specimens is no mean feat. The Scot knows he heads into this afternoon's event as the underdog but rather than be daunted by the prospect of facing the greats of his event once again, he's relishing the opportunity to see just what he can do. 'Ahead of the Olympics last summer, the media was calling me a kid in a field of man mountains, and that was probably fair because they are so much bigger than me,' Percy says of his rivals. 'But I'm excited to go up against these guys again, and I'm excited to see how I can do. 'The quality in London is so high that I could throw 63 metres and still be well down the field but I just need to take everything I can from this competition in terms of experience.'
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Nick Percy on the juggle, peaking and facing the world's best
At the age of 30, the discus thrower is currently better than he's ever been, and he's optimistic there's plenty more still to come. Earlier this year, Percy set a new Scottish record of 67.86m by over a metre, bettering his previous mark which he set last year on his way to making his Olympic debut at Paris 2024. That he's only now approaching his best has come as little surprise to Percy, who has been competing on the international stage for over a decade. 'Yes, I'm closer to the end of my career than the beginning, but I'm not actually at my peak yet, I don't think. I believe there's still room for improvement,' the Isle of Wight-based athlete says 'In discus, the older you get, the more stable, the more relaxed and the more patient you get and throwing far is so much down to timing and experience. 'Discus is generally an old man's game so as long as you stay healthy, you can be competing well into your 30s. 'So for me, I believe there's still a lot more in the tank. Whether I can achieve that or not is part of the excitement of the next few years.' Percy's Scottish record came just weeks into the season and had the added bonus of securing the qualification standard for this season's World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo in September. While this alone doesn't guarantee Percy's place in the GB team for what would be his third World Championships appearance following his selections in 2017 and 2022, it goes quite some way to ensuring he'll be Japan-bound. A top-two finish at next month's British Championships is still required to confirm his ticket to Tokyo but Percy acknowledges his excellent early season form has removed a considerable amount of the stress of the summer from his shoulders. That the Scot is competing on this stage at all is something of a miracle given quite how different his circumstances are to almost all of his peers. While his compatriots such as Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Laura Muir et al all have the luxury of being full-time athletes (and have been for a number of years), Percy combines his status as an international athlete with his full-time job as a PE teacher at Ryde School with Upper Chine. (Image:) It makes for a challenging schedule and while Percy, who did train full-time in his mid-twenties, admits that while the privilege of being a full-time athlete once again would likely not be something he'd turn down if the opportunity arose, he's more than happy with his current set-up. 'Combining athletics and work means there are some weeks I want to pull my hair out but most of the time, I really enjoy it,' Percy says of the juggle. 'There can be really tricky weeks where training has to be very much reduced because of work so doing both does bring unusual challenges because most people at this standard are just training, sleeping, eating and repeating, whereas I have some different stresses in the mix. 'So while it is difficult, it's not impossible. Other people do it too, so I can't complain too much and I have had my chance of being full-time and that's helped to get me to where I am now. I would love to have the opportunity again to train full-time, but also I'm 30 years old and I don't want to let go of what might be my long-term, professional career in a few years' time.' With Percy in the form of his athletics' life, he's in as good a position as he's ever been to take on the very best in the world. Today, the Scot will take to the field at the London Athletics Meet in what has been described as one of the greatest discus fields ever assembled outwith the Olympics or World Championships. From Olympic champion Roje Stona to world champion Daniel Ståhl to world record holder Mykolas Alekna to British record holder Lawrence Okoye, Percy is in little doubt as to how stiff a test this afternoon's competition will be. And given the Scot is significantly smaller physically than most of his discus peers - Percy is 6ft 2in in comparison to Alekna's 6ft 11in - competing in the way he does with such physical specimens is no mean feat. The Scot knows he heads into this afternoon's event as the underdog but rather than be daunted by the prospect of facing the greats of his event once again, he's relishing the opportunity to see just what he can do. 'Ahead of the Olympics last summer, the media was calling me a kid in a field of man mountains, and that was probably fair because they are so much bigger than me,' Percy says of his rivals. 'But I'm excited to go up against these guys again, and I'm excited to see how I can do. 'The quality in London is so high that I could throw 63 metres and still be well down the field but I just need to take everything I can from this competition in terms of experience.'
Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Indian Express
Japan's doomsday prediction: July 5 comic book prophecy sparks panic, tourists flee, flights cancelled
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. Also read: How young Indians are finding escapism in Manga 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.' Also read: Indian mythology is ready for its anime moment. We just need the format 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.
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GMA Network
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Manga doomsday prediction spooks tourists to Japan
Viral rumours of impending disaster stemming from a comic book prediction have taken the sheen off Japan's tourism boom, with some airlines cancelling flights from Hong Kong where passengers numbers have plunged. Japan has seen record numbers of visitors this year, with April setting an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travellers. That dipped in May, however, with arrivals from Hong Kong - the superstitious Chinese-controlled city where the rumours have circulated widely - down 11% year-on-year, according to the latest data. Steve Huen of Hong Kong-based travel agency EGL Tours blamed a flurry of social media predictions tied to a manga that depicts a dream of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan and neighbouring countries in July 2025. "The rumours have had a significant impact," said Huen, adding that his firm had seen its Japan-related business halve. Discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance had "prevented Japan-bound travel from dropping to zero," he added. Hong Kong resident Branden Choi, 28, said he was a frequent traveller to Japan but was hesitant to visit the country during July and August due to the manga prediction. "If possible, I might delay my trip and go after September", he said. Ryo Tatsuki, the artist behind the manga titled 'The Future I Saw', first published in 1999 and then re-released in 2021, has tried to dampen the speculation, saying in a statement issued by her publisher that she was "not a prophet". The first edition of the manga warned of a major natural disaster in March 2011. That was the month and year when a massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster struck Japan's northeastern coast killing thousands. Some have interpreted the latest edition as predicting a catastrophic event would occur specifically on July 5, 2025, although Tatsuki has denied this. Situated within the Pacific Ocean's 'Ring of Fire,' Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. In recent days there have been more than 900 earthquakes, most of them small tremors, on islands off the southern tip of Kyushu. But Robert Geller, a professor at the University of Tokyo who has studied seismology since 1971, said even scientifically-based earthquake prediction was "impossible". "None of the predictions I've experienced in my scientific career have come close at all," he said. Nevertheless, low-cost carrier Greater Bay Airlines became the latest Hong Kong airline on Wednesday to cancel flights to Japan due to low demand, saying it would indefinitely suspend its service to Tokushima in western Japan from September. Serena Peng, 30, a visitor to Tokyo from Seattle, had initially tried to talk her husband out of visiting Japan after seeing the social media speculation. "I'm not super worried right now, but I was before," she said, speaking outside Tokyo's bustling Senso-ji temple. —Reuters
Miami Herald
04-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Japan Flights Cancelled Amid Impact of Manga Doomsday Prediction
Rumors about an impending natural disaster, sparked by an old comic book, have hit Japan's tourism boom, leading some airlines to suspend flights to the country. Hong Kong's Greater Bay Airlines is one of them, announcing an indefinite suspension of flights to Tokushima on Wednesday. This follows the viral spread of predictions linked to a manga depicting a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, reportedly foreseen for July 2025, according to Japan Today. The downturn underscores how digital-era rumors can disrupt real-world economies by influencing consumer behavior-here, curbing a significant boom in Japan's tourism sector. Japan logged an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travelers in April 2025 before arrivals fell in May, particularly from Hong Kong, where superstition over the manga's forecast drove an 11 percent year-on-year drop, according to the most recent data cited by Japan Today. Steve Huen of Hong Kong-based EGL Tours said the warnings circulating on social media "had a significant impact," halving his agency's Japan bookings. With tourism central to many regions' economies, persistent fears threaten both travel patterns and business revenues, despite reassurances from scientists and even the manga's creator. Where the Trend Came From The trend originated from a manga titled The Future I Saw by Ryo Tatsuki. First published in 1999 and re-released in 2021, the comic's initial edition referenced a major natural disaster in March 2011-the month Japan endured a deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster at Fukushima in Japan's northeast. Some readers now claim the latest edition predicts a new catastrophe specifically on July 5, 2025, sparking waves of alarm on social media in Hong Kong and neighboring Asian territories, Reuters reports. How Superstition and Social Media Amplified the Impact In Hong Kong, where fears about the prediction gained the most traction, some agencies reported dramatic reductions in Japan-bound travel. Steve Huen of EGL Tours stated that bookings had halved, only sustained by steep discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance. "The rumors have had a significant impact," Huen said. Effect on Travel and Flight Cancellations Greater Bay Airlines announced that it would suspend its service to Tokushima, western Japan, from September, citing insufficient demand. Other carriers signaled similar moves. The trend was especially pronounced among travelers from Hong Kong, with Japanese government statistics confirming an 11 percent decrease in arrivals from the region in May compared with the previous year, according to Reuters. Creator and Scientific Reaction Ryo Tatsuki, the manga's creator, issued a statement through her publisher denying she was a prophet and downplaying interpretations of her work. "I am not a prophet," Tatsuki said. Seismologist Robert Geller from the University of Tokyo told Reuters that even scientifically-based earthquake prediction was "impossible." "None of the predictions I've experienced in my scientific career have come close at all," Geller said. He emphasized accurate earthquake prediction remains scientifically impossible. Japan's Earthquake Risk in Context Japan, positioned on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," faces frequent seismic activity. Over 900 minor earthquakes have hit islands off Kyushu's southern tip in recent days. However, scientific authorities stressed there is no credible basis for the July 2025 disaster forecast, according to Reuters. Continued Demand and Adjustments Despite the anxiety, some travelers continue to visit. Serena Peng, a Seattle resident visiting Tokyo, described having initial doubts after seeing online speculation but ultimately continuing with her trip. "I'm not super worried right now, but I was before," Peng said outside Tokyo's Senso-ji temple. Steve Huen, executive director of EGL Tours, said: "The rumors have had a significant impact…Japan-related business halve[d]. Discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance…prevented Japan-bound travel from dropping to zero." Branden Choi, a traveler from Hong Kong, said: "If possible, I might delay my trip and go after September." University of Tokyo seismologist Robert Geller said: "None of the predictions I've experienced in my scientific career have come close at all." Airlines and tour companies are expected to continue monitoring booking trends and adjust schedules as traveler sentiment evolves. Japanese tourism officials and industry stakeholders have ramped up efforts to reassure visitors of their safety, emphasizing reassurances by scientists. Related Articles US Allies Plan To Flex Aircraft Carrier Muscles Near ChinaMap Tracks US Coast Guard Missions Near ChinaAmerica Has A New Type Of MillionaireUS Ally Detects Chinese Military Near Coast: Photos 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
