• Japan's government warns of possible strong earthquakes following recent tremors.
• Authorities dismiss doomsday predictions linked to a viral manga.
• Tourism from Hong Kong has declined amid unfounded fears of a disaster.
• Experts state predicting earthquakes remains scientifically uncertain.
• Japan continues to record high visitor numbers despite concerns.

Japan's government has issued warnings of potential strong earthquakes in the southwestern waters, urging citizens to remain skeptical of unfounded disaster predictions stemming from a viral manga. The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed recent seismic activity, reporting over 1,000 tremors in Kagoshima prefecture within two weeks. One of these was a 5.5-magnitude quake that prompted the evacuation of residents from nearby remote islands, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The 5.4-magnitude tremor recorded on Saturday further fueled speculation about a forthcoming disaster predicted in the comic book "The Future I Saw" by Ryo Tatsuki. Ayataka Ebita, from the Japan Meteorological Agency, emphasized that there is "no causal connection" between the recent earthquakes and the manga's predictions, reinforcing that any correlation is purely coincidental. "With our current scientific knowledge, it's difficult to predict the exact time, place, or scale of an earthquake," he added, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

Speculation about a major disaster occurring this month has prompted a noticeable decline in tourism from regions like Hong Kong, where fears have spread widely. Arrivals from Hong Kong were down 11% in May compared to the previous year. However, Japan continues to experience high visitor numbers overall, with record arrivals in April reaching 3.9 million travelers, as noted by Reuters and South China Morning Post.

Despite these assertions, Ryo Tatsuki, who has been linked to the prediction narrative, indicated her position by stating, "I am not a prophet," thus distancing herself from the ongoing speculation. Earthquakes are frequent in Japan, accounting for about one-fifth of the world's significant seismic events, emphasizing the need for public preparedness, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.