A Japanese manga predicts a major catastrophe and many tourists are already cancelling their trip
A "prophetic" comic book unleashes a wave of panic affecting Asian tourism in Japan, despite warnings from experts and authorities.
What might sound like the plot of an apocalyptic movie is now having real-world consequences for Japan’s tourism industry. A mix of esoteric predictions, social media warnings, and a Japanese manga known for its so-called “prophetic” powers has led thousands of East Asian tourists to cancel or postpone their trips, fearing an imminent natural disaster.
It all began with the resurgence of The Future I Saw, a manga by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki. Since its original release in 1999, the work has gained notoriety for allegedly accurate predictions—most notably, the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake. A 2021 reissue of the manga warns of another impending catastrophe: a massive crack in the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, supposedly set to occur in July of this year, triggering a tsunami of catastrophic proportions.
These claims have coincided with warnings from psychics, fortune tellers, and feng shui masters, fuelling panic across social media—particularly in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam. The result: a surge in travel cancellations that has put Japan’s tourism sector on alert.
“People are just saying they want to postpone their trip for now,” said CN Yuen, general manager of Hong Kong travel agency WWPKG. According to Yuen, bookings to Japan dropped by 50% during the recent Easter holiday, and the trend is expected to continue.
Unchecked alarmism
In response, the Japanese government has stepped in to calm public fears. The Cabinet Office posted on X (formerly Twitter) to remind users that while modern technology can offer some degree of seismic risk assessment, accurately predicting earthquakes remains impossible. Japanese seismologists have echoed this, emphasising that the likelihood of forecasting such events with precision is virtually nonexistent.
Artist Ryo Tatsuki, for her part, has defended her work. While acknowledging the criticism, she stated that raising awareness about disaster preparedness is a positive outcome, but urged readers not to give in to fear and to rely on scientific guidance.
And in some ways, the panic seems to have had little long-term impact. Japan welcomed 10.5 million visitors in the first quarter of 2025—a record high. Of those, 2.36 million came from mainland China and 647,600 from Hong Kong, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Some travelers, like Vic Shing from Hong Kong, interviewed by CNN, remain unfazed. “Earthquake predictions have never been accurate. Japan has the experience and the capacity to respond. I’m not worried,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts and authorities are grappling with what’s already being dubbed the “prophecy effect”—a phenomenon where rumours and superstitions, amplified by digital ubiquity, begin to shape real-world behaviour. As this case shows, fear of the unpredictable is deeply human—and sometimes, it can override even the most rational thinking.
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