A prophecy of an earthquake and tsunami occurring between July 5 and 7 in Japan has spread rapidly on social media, causing anxiety among Asian travelers. The resulting cancellations have forced airlines and travel companies to adjust their plans.

The cancellations stem from a prediction by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, who is believed to have correctly foreseen the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and the Covid-19 pandemic. In her 2021 manga, *The Future I Saw*, she foretells a "real disaster" in July. As the date of the prophesied disaster approaches, travel to Japan has significantly decreased, prompting Hong Kong Airlines to cancel all flights to Kagoshima and Kumamoto prefectures for July and August (the predicted locations of the disaster).

An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner takes off from Tokyo, Japan on 27/4. *Photo: Reuters*

Greater Bay Airlines has reduced flights, and bookings from Hong Kong, mainland China, and Thailand have dropped sharply. Tottori prefecture alone reported a nearly 50% decrease in bookings from Hong Kong in May. Travel agencies are offering discounts to reassure and attract customers.

The prediction has gone viral, with thousands of videos appearing on social media platforms, especially in East Asia (China and South Korea). Posts on X have amplified these concerns, with many linking the prediction to the potential for a mega-earthquake in the Nankai Trough. Over 330 small earthquakes near the Tokara Islands and the eruption of Mount Shinmoe in Kyushu, coinciding with the predicted timeframe, have fueled public anxiety, despite seismologists asserting there is no connection. Some have even nicknamed Ryo Tatsuki the "Baba Vanga of Japan".

Ryo Tatsuki has urged the public to remain calm, emphasizing that her writing is personal and should not replace expert opinion. Despite this, Japan's tourism industry has begun to feel the impact.

According to economist Takahide Kiuchi of the Nomura Research Institute, Japan could lose an estimated 560 billion Yen (3.9 billion USD) if this situation continues.

Ryo Tatsuki mentions an earthquake and tsunami disaster occurring in July in her manga *The Future I Saw*. *Photo: NDTV*

The Japanese government and scientists are working to reassure the public. The Japan Meteorological Agency has stated that all earthquake predictions with specific dates and times are "unreliable." The governor of Miyagi prefecture called the online rumors a "serious issue," emphasizing that tourism should not be influenced by unverified information. The Japan Disaster Management Agency also stressed that there is currently no method to accurately predict the time and location of earthquakes.

Despite the decline in tourists due to the prophecy, according to the latest data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the total number of visitors to Japan this year "remains high".

Anh Minh (*ABC News, NDTV*)