Japanese Manga Artist’s Apocalyptic Vision Sparks Fears of Mega Tsunami
A Japanese manga artist’s apocalyptic vision has sparked fears of a mega tsunami hitting the East Asian country this summer, but not everyone is buying into it. Ryo Tatsuki’s manga, "The Future I Saw", has been making waves online, with many people expressing concerns about a potential natural disaster occurring on July 5, 2025.
According to Newsweek, the manga, first published in 1999 and revisited in a 2021 edition, forecasts a catastrophic event striking Japan this summer. The newer edition features a prediction that a crack will emerge under the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, sending waves ashore three times taller than those from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. This event killed nearly 20,000 people and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Japan is situated along the circum-Pacific seismic belt, commonly known as the "Ring of Fire", which encircles the Pacific Ocean and is responsible for approximately 81 percent of the world’s largest earthquakes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. As Newsweek reports, this makes Japan one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
Tatsuki’s reputation stems in part from previous predictions that appeared to align with real-world events. She is believed by some to have forecast the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, as well as the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury, and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, some Japanese officials have urged people to disregard the warnings, with Yoshihiro Murai, governor of Miyagi prefecture, stating that "there is no reason to worry" and that people should "ignore the rumors and visit" Japan.
The forecast has prompted a slew of social media posts regarding the potential calamity, with some people expressing concerns about traveling to Japan this summer. According to Bloomberg Intelligence analysis cited by The Daily Mail, weekly arrival bookings from Hong Kong for late June to early July dropped by more than 80 percent compared to the previous year. Airline bookings from Taiwan and South Korea also fell since April.
However, Newsweek reports that Japan remains a popular tourist destination, with a record-breaking 10.5 million visitors in the first three months of 2025, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Some 2.36 million mainland Chinese travelers visited Japan in the first quarter of this year, a 78 percent increase from 2024.
Dr. Laura Miller, professor of Japanese studies at the University of Missouri, told Newsweek: "I do not think that the majority of people in Japan ‘believe’ in predictions by popular writers such as Tatsuki. They already know that earthquakes are recurring events, and scientists themselves are always predicting them." Miller added that "divination and forecasts about the future are present in all forms of popular culture, including hundreds of other manga. But this case is still worth noticing. One reason scholars study popular culture is because it allows us to track cultural worries and anxieties, and manga is media consumed by more than half the population in East Asia."
Tatsuki has urged readers not to panic, telling Japanese media in a recent interview, as quoted in the New York Post, that "it’s important not to be unnecessarily influenced… and to listen to the opinions of experts." As the predicted date of July 5, 2025 approaches, it remains to be seen whether Tatsuki’s vision will come to pass or if it will be dismissed as a work of fiction.
In the meantime, tourists are advised to exercise caution but not to let fear dictate their travel plans. As Newsweek reports, Japanese officials are working to reassure the public and visitors that the country is prepared for any eventuality. With its rich culture, stunning landscapes, and resilient people, Japan remains a destination that is well worth visiting, even in the face of uncertainty.
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/july-2025-mega-tsunami-predicted-japanese-manga-what-know-2083394
