Japan’s booming tourism sector is facing an unexpected challenge – not from natural disasters, but from a viral manga prediction. A comic titled The Future I Saw, originally published in 1999 and re-released in 2021, has triggered widespread fear after it appeared to predict a major catastrophe set to occur on July 5, 2025. Though the manga’s author, Ryo Tatsuki, denies having any psychic abilities, her earlier work’s eerie connection to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake has made the new prediction difficult for some travelers to ignore.
The result: a wave of trip cancellations and falling visitor numbers, particularly from Hong Kong and other Chinese-speaking regions. In May, arrivals from Hong Kong to Japan dropped by 11%, despite an overall tourism surge that saw Japan welcome a record 3.9 million visitors in April. Travel agencies across Hong Kong and Taiwan report a sharp decline in bookings, even after offering generous discounts and earthquake insurance to reassure hesitant customers.
Airlines are adjusting accordingly. Greater Bay Airlines recently canceled certain routes to Japan, citing weak demand. Local Japanese officials, especially in quake-prone areas like Tokushima, are concerned about the economic impact on smaller regional destinations that rely heavily on Asian tourism.
Experts have been quick to push back on the panic. Seismologists remind the public that earthquakes remain impossible to predict with precision. Still, the rumor has spread quickly on social media, amplified by nostalgia, anxiety, and sensational headlines.
Japan’s tourism authorities are working to counter the narrative by emphasizing the country’s advanced disaster preparedness systems, including real-time alerts and thorough evacuation protocols. While many travelers remain undeterred, the situation underscores how viral content, even when fictional can reshape real-world travel behavior.
As July 5 approaches, Japan’s travel industry is watching closely. Whether this proves to be a brief media flashpoint or a longer-term disruption will depend on how effectively the fears are addressed and how resilient tourism demand proves in the face of superstition.
