Manga mayhem: Japan’s July catastrophe fear sparks tourism slump amid quakes and volcano

A wave of panic is sweeping across Japan as a viral manga prophecy converges with real-world seismic activity, sparking a sharp decline in tourist bookings and growing public anxiety.

Over the past five days, more than 330 earthquakes have rattled the remote Tokara Islands, while Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu erupted, spewing ash 500 metres into the air. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has raised the alert for the volcano to level 3, warning residents to stay away—further fuelling nationwide concern.

At the heart of this alarm is The Future I Saw, a cult 1999 manga by Ryo Tatsuki, which fans credit with predicting the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. A 2021 reprint ominously forecast a “real disaster” in July 2025. As that date approaches and tremors escalate, the manga has gone viral once more, dominating social media and online forums.

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The fallout has already begun to impact tourism. Bookings from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea have plunged by up to 83 per cent, with airlines such as Hong Kong Airlines cutting back flights. Some travel agencies have reported cancellation rates of up to 50 per cent.

Japan’s seismologists and the JMA have dismissed any link between the manga and the current seismic activity, stressing that no scientific method exists to predict earthquakes with precise timing or location. They are urging the public to prioritise preparedness over panic.

Still, Tatsuki—often dubbed “Japan’s Baba Vanga”—continues to attract attention. Her dream-inspired visions and symbolic warnings, with phrases like “oceans boiling” and “undersea rupture,” have struck a deep chord despite lacking scientific grounding.

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With tremors shaking the ground and cryptic prophecies fuelling speculation, Japan stands at a tense crossroads between fact and folklore—just days away from a date many are watching with unease.