Baba Vanga Style Predictions Spark Japan Earthquake Fears
The surge in earthquake-related anxiety among travelers, particularly from Hong Kong and mainland China, is a cause for concern, with some travel agencies reporting a significant drop in bookings. Despite this, tourism remains strong, with 10.5 million foreign tourists visiting Japan in the first three months of 2025, including a 78% increase from mainland China.
A Japanese manga artist's prediction of a large-scale disaster in July 2025 has sparked widespread concern, with some tour agencies reporting a 50% decline in bookings to Japan, despite the country's Meteorological Agency not confirming the threat.
Ryo Tatsuki, known for her accurate forecasts, warned of a possible undersea rupture near Japan, leading to tsunamis and boiling ocean waters. Her prediction has gone viral on social media, with some taking it seriously and sharing evacuation plans and disaster preparedness tips. This is not the first time Tatsuki has made a prediction that has sparked widespread fear, as her 1999 comic book warned of a major disaster in March 2011, which coincided with the Tohoku earthquake that killed tens of thousands and triggered a nuclear accident.
Other "experts" including a Chinese psychic and a feng shui master have also made predictions of a massive earthquake, with some even specifying exact dates. These predictions have sparked widespread panic on social media, with many tourists canceling or delaying their trips to Japan. Despite the cancellations, Japan remains a popular destination, with a record-breaking 10.5 million visitors in the first three months of 2025.
Seismologists have warned that predicting earthquakes is impossible, and that modern technology has yet to be able to accurately predict an earthquake. The Japanese government has also dismissed the predictions as unscientific. However, some tourists remain undeterred and are sticking to their plans to visit Japan, while others have cancelled their trips due to fear of an earthquake.
The "prophecy effect" is having a significant impact on Japan's tourism industry, with individual cases of trip cancellations reflecting a growing fear of earthquakes among travelers. While the Japanese government reassures the public that there is no technology to reliably predict earthquakes, the fear-mongering is undermining public trust and preparation efforts.