Did Japanese Baba Vanga’s July prediction come true? Tsunami hits Japan after earthquake in Russia

A prediction from a Japanese manga made years ago is back in the spotlight after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday.

Notably, the quake sent tsunami waves towards Japan’s northern Hokkaido island and Russia’s Kuril Islands.

Read latest updates on the tsunami warnings  here.

This has revived discussion around a 1999 prediction made by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki, often called the ‘New Baba Vanga’. Some social media users are calling it a fulfilled prophecy, although the timing was slightly off.

In her manga, ‘The Future I Saw’, Tatsuki wrote of a crack forming under the sea between Japan and the Philippines. According to her, this would cause a tsunami three times stronger than the one in 2011.

More from Explainers

What is the nuclear treaty Russia has exited after Trump’s submarine move? Why does it matter? Russia earthquake aftermath: Which countries have been hit by tsunami? How much damage has it caused?

So, how is the internet reacting as Japan faces fresh tsunami waves? Did Tatsuki really predict it?

Let’s take a look:

Prophecy or coincidence?

As reports of the earthquake spread, many turned their attention to Watashi ga Mita Mirai (The Future I Saw), a manga first released in 1999 by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki.

Fans believe several of Tatsuki’s predictions, drawn from her dreams and published in her manga, have come true over the years.

Ryo Tatsuki predicted that a tsunami would hit Japan in July 2025. In her dream it was a catastrophic event, thankfully this tsunami from the sixth largest ever recorded EQ - the M8.8 Kamchatka Megaquake - wasn't of that caliber. She also saw two dragons, and the biggest… pic.twitter.com/lFfkrL6jg3

— Stefan Burns (@StefanBurnsGeo) July 30, 2025

Quick Reads

View All

‘Touched inappropriately, then thanked me…’ How South Korean tourist was sexually harassed at Bengaluru airport

Why Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau’s Davos appearance became controversial

The manga is known for mentioning real events such as the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury, the Covid-19 pandemic, and most notably, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Because of her record, Tatsuki has often been referred to as the ‘Japanese Baba Vanga’, a comparison to the late Bulgarian mystic who is credited with predicting major world events like the 9/11 attacks, the rise of ISIS, and Barack Obama’s presidency.

Now 70, Tatsuki once wrote in her diary that she had dreamt of a “crack opening up under the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, sending ashore waves three times as tall as those from the Tohoku earthquake”.

ALSO READ | 5-foot-high tsunami hits Hawaii, waves in Japan, Russia: When does a tsunami strike?

Earlier this year, some fans of her manga pointed out a warning linked to July 2025. There was particular focus on July 5, with many speculating that a major event could take place on that date.

When nothing major happened on the day, most people dismissed the prediction and moved on.

However, it is worth noting that during that period, a series of quakes were reported near Japan’s distant Tokara Islands, along with a major eruption from a long-inactive volcano.

As the damage was limited, interest soon faded.

But after Wednesday’s powerful quake and the resulting tsunami warnings, attention on Tatsuki’s manga has resurfaced. Many are now questioning whether the prediction was simply a few weeks early.

Online frenzy over Tatsuki’s prediction

Around two million people have been evacuated as fears grow that waves nearly 10 feet high could strike.

Beaches have emptied as people fled to higher ground. Many took shelter on rooftops, while initial waves were already spotted along Hokkaido’s northern coast.

What has caught attention is that these tremors and sea surges appear to align with predictions made by Ryo Tatsuki, who had recorded 15 dreams in the 1990s.

Social media users are once again linking the tsunami event to one of Tatsuki’s visions.

One post on X read, “Not the exact date, but you have to respect Ryo Tatsuki.”

Another wrote, “Even though the place and timing is not the exact Ryo Tatsuki–Baba Vanga of Japan, prediction is happening again.”

Even though the place and timing is not the exact RyoTatsuki- Baba Vanga of Japan, prediction is happening again #MangaBook #TheFutureISaw #earthquake #Tsunami pic.twitter.com/JU4uEY4k3j

— shOGun® (@shogunreloaded) July 30, 2025

A third added, “Baba Vanga’s 2025 prophecy had already shaken Japan’s tourism industry — but no one expected it to be this accurate. A massive quake near Russia triggered real tsunami waves that hit both Japan and Russia. Chilling.”

“RYO Tatsuki was right on Tsunami. New Baba Vanga’s July Prediction came true. A massive 8.7 magnitude earthquake rocks Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula triggering 4m high tsunami waves,” another user wrote.

In recent weeks, online discussions around her prediction had surged on Japanese platforms, with trending hashtags like #July5Disaster.

The prophecy also appears to have had a real-world effect. Flight bookings from Hong Kong to Japan fell by 83 per cent for the period from late June to early July.

However, experts have rejected these claims. Professor Sekiya Naoya from Tokyo University has dismissed such predictions as lacking scientific credibility, pointing out that earthquakes cannot be predicted in advance.

Earlier, Japanese authorities also advised the public not to take such predictions seriously, stating they are baseless and not supported by science.

ALSO READ | Russia earthquake aftermath: Which countries have been hit by tsunami? How much damage has it caused?

What’s happening in Japan?

Nearly two million people in Japan were urged to evacuate, with many moving by car or on foot to reach higher ground.

A tsunami of 1.3 metres struck a port in Iwate, a northern prefecture, according to Japan’s weather agency.

This came after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that hit earlier in the day near Petropavlovsk, located on Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula. It ranks among the ten strongest quakes ever recorded.

People in affected parts of Japan headed to evacuation centres, with memories still fresh of the 2011 disaster that triggered reactor meltdowns at a nuclear plant. As of Wednesday, no irregularities were reported at Japan’s nuclear facilities.

The tsunami alert also disrupted transport. Ferry services, train routes and airport operations in the impacted regions were either delayed or suspended.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi warned that evacuees might not be able to return home by nightfall, adding that the tsunami threat may continue for some time,