Fri Jul 04 19:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Manga Prophecy Sparks Earthquake Panic in Japan Despite Scientific Reassurance
**TOKYO, JAPAN – July 4, 2025** – A recent 5.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of the Tokara Islands has done little to calm anxieties in Japan, where a years-old manga predicting a devastating “megaquake” on July 5th continues to fuel public fear and disrupt travel plans.
The earthquake, with an epicenter 20 kilometers deep, occurred on July 3rd and was the latest in a long history of seismic activity for the island nation. However, it’s the impending date prophesied in Ryo Tatsuki’s manga, “The Future I Saw,” that has captured the public’s attention and spurred widespread concern.
The manga, first published in 1999 and reprinted in 2021, references a catastrophic event in March 2011, mirroring the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan that year. The reprint warns of an even more powerful tsunami, “three times the size” of the 2011 disaster, set to engulf Pacific nations.
While Tatsuki herself appeared to walk back her prediction in a recent interview, stating the megaquake “may not happen,” she stopped short of fully retracting the warning. The reprint has sold over a million copies, and online content amplifying the manga’s claims has garnered millions of views.
The resulting anxiety has already impacted the tourism industry. Two Hong Kong-based airlines have reportedly reduced flights to southern Japan due to decreased passenger demand. “We are surprised that such rumors have led to cancellations,” said the Tokushima Tourism promotion division.
The Japanese government has issued warnings against relying on earthquake speculation. In April, a statement emphasized that “predicting earthquakes by specifying the date, time, and location is difficult with current scientific knowledge.” Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Director-General Ryoichi Nomura expressed his “regret” that “people are being affected by baseless information in this age of modern science.”
Despite the public unease, scientists remain steadfast in their position that precise earthquake prediction is currently impossible. Experts at the JMA, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), British Geological Survey (BGS), and European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) encourage the public to rely on verified scientific data and avoid irrational actions fueled by anxiety.
Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences approximately 1,500 earthquakes annually, prompting decades of investment in earthquake preparedness. A government panel recently estimated an 80% chance of a megaquake along the Nankai Trough occurring within the next 30 years, potentially resulting in as many as 298,000 deaths in a worst-case scenario.
While acknowledging the inherent risk of earthquakes in Japan, JMA’s Nomura has “strongly” urged the public to refrain from “irrational actions driven by anxiety,” emphasizing the importance of relying on credible sources of information for safety and preparedness.
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