Latest news with #Japan-related
News18
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Volcano Erupts In Japan As New Baba Vanga's 'July 5 Earthquake' Prophecy Stokes Fears
Last Updated: Video of the eruption captured by the Meteorological Agency showed lava and thick grey smoke rising from the mountain around midnight on Wednesday. Japan's Mount Shinmoedake erupted on Wednesday afternoon, sending thick ash plumes several metres into the air. Authorities issued warnings advising locals to stay away from the mountain due to safety concerns. As the volcano erupted, social media was abuzz with references to a viral prediction made by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, who had earlier forecast a major disaster in Japan in 2025. Often likened to Baba Vanga for her uncanny foresight, Tatsuki's prophecy — which mentioned a catastrophic event in early June — resurfaced online, with many drawing connections to the sudden volcanic activity. Japan's weather agency also issued a warning and said, 'The plume reached the height of 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) for the first time since April 3, 2011." Video of the eruption captured by the Meteorological Agency showed lava and thick grey smoke rising from the mountain around midnight on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a powerful earthquake on Thursday—one of over 1,000 tremors reported in Kagoshima prefecture over the past two weeks—has intensified speculation linked to a manga prediction about a major disaster in July. Following a 5.5-magnitude quake near southern Kyushu, authorities evacuated residents from nearby remote islands on Friday. On Saturday, Japan's government warned of further possible quakes in the region but urged the public not to fall for baseless disaster rumours circulating online. The manga's first edition appeared to foreshadow the March 2011 quake and tsunami that devastated Japan. Its latest edition has been interpreted by some as predicting a major disaster on July 5, 2025 — a claim the creator, Ryo Tatsuki, has denied. Meanwhile, the viral rumour and prediction have also affected tourism in Japan, according to a report by Reuters. While Japan recorded an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travellers in April, the numbers declined in May. 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. Branden Choi, a 28-year-old frequent traveller to Japan and resident of Hong Kong, said he 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. First Published: July 05, 2025, 14:24 IST
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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
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Recorder
Manga doomsday prediction spooks tourists to Japan
TOKYO/HONG KONG: 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.
NBC News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Tourists to Japan spooked after comic book predicts doomsday
TOKYO — 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 passenger 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.
NDTV
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Manga Doomsday Prediction Spooks Tourists To Japan
Tokyo/Hong Kong: 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.
