• Rumors from a manga predicting disasters have led to a decline in tourist bookings in Japan.
• Airlines from Hong Kong have begun to cancel flights due to the impact on travel demand.
• Japan reported an 11% year-on-year decrease in arrivals from Hong Kong in May.
• The creator of the manga and experts have both dismissed the predictions.
• Despite fears, some tourists continue to visit Japan, albeit with changed sentiments.

Viral rumors of an impending disaster, largely stemming from an old comic book prediction, have significantly impacted Japan's tourism sector, leading some airlines to suspend flights from Hong Kong due to decreased demand. April 2023 marked an all-time high for visitors to Japan, reaching 3.9 million travelers; however, this number saw a decline in May, particularly from Hong Kong, where arrivals dropped by 11% year-on-year, according to Reuters and Dawn.

Travel agency EGL Tours in Hong Kong reported a dramatic decrease in business, with bookings halving due to fears propagated by social media about a manga that depicts a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan in July 2025. Steve Huen, an executive at the agency, noted that despite discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance, travel to Japan had not ceased entirely, though it has been significantly affected. He emphasized, “The rumours have had a significant impact,” according to Newsweek, Reuters, and Dawn.

The manga in question, titled "The Future I Saw," was first published in 1999 and re-released in 2021. It had previously warned of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan in March 2011. Some interpretations of the current edition suggest a disaster will strike specifically on July 5, 2025, which the author, Ryo Tatsuki, has publicly denied, stating, “I am not a prophet,” according to reports from Reuters and Newsweek.

Despite these speculations, scientific experts emphasize that predicting earthquakes remains highly unreliable. Robert Geller, a professor at the University of Tokyo, asserted that “none of the predictions I’ve experienced in my scientific career have come close at all.” He noted the rarity of precise earthquake predictions and reassured that there was no scientific basis for interpreting the manga in a prophetic manner, according to Reuters and Newsweek.

In response to the downturn, Greater Bay Airlines announced the indefinite suspension of its flights to Tokushima, western Japan, effective from September, due to insufficient demand. The airline is not alone, as other carriers are similarly adjusting their schedules based on current trends in traveler sentiment. Despite rising fears, some travelers, such as Seattle resident Serena Peng, continue visiting Japan but express concerns influenced by the ongoing speculation about potential disasters. Peng stated, “I’m not super worried right now, but I was before,” while visiting Tokyo, according to Reuters, Dawn, and Newsweek.