Tourists cancel Japan trips in large numbers after Psychic artist predicts 'real catastrophe' to strike soon

There's a wave of fear sweeping across East Asia as a decade-old manga prophecy comes back to haunt, triggering widespread cancellation of trips to Japan . At the forefront is Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, due to her uncanny accurate predictions. Her 1999 comic book, The Future I Saw, is back in the spotlight for predicting a huge natural disaster in July 2025.

Tatsuki's comic strip was in the headlines after the apparent premonition of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami disaster. As per her book, a catastrophe is likely on July 5, 2025, which appeared in a new 2021 version, drawing images of the sea "boiling" off Japan's southern coast—a scenario most readers interpreted to be an underwater volcano eruption triggering a mega-tsunami. The specific date and graphic scenario have generated public anxiety, especially among Hong Kong, Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese tourists.

Its effect on Japan's tourism industry has been, reportedly, enormous. Travel companies are experiencing an immediate decline in bookings. A travel agency stated that it witnessed a 50% decline over the Easter weekend holiday, with fu rther declines to come in the next several months. Social networking sites are abuzz with messages and postings, generating the perception of fear and desperation among the prospective travellers. Complementing the fear are parallel predictions by feng shui masters and psychics, who have also forecasted that there will likely be disasters in July.

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Although these are not scientifically accurate, the fact that they are parallel has generated public fright. Seismologists and Japanese authorities again claimed that accurate earthquake predictions are still out of the reach of science and warned against lending credence to uncorroborated sources.

Despite there has been trip cancellations in large numbers, Japan still holds robust tourist figures, with more than 10 million tourists during the first quarter of 2025. This shows that even though the estimates scared many, an enormous number of tourists still have faith in the security and robustness of Japan. Ryo Tatsuki herself also made some remarks regarding the reaction of the public, saying that more disaster planning is always a plus, but that people shouldn't be "too affected" by her dreams and instead heed.
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With July imminent, the background is one of the vast potential of media and superstition to influence the behaviour of human beings, and there is a need for responsible reporting and astute judgement in the aftermath of sensational prophecy. While preparedness is always wise, panic created by predictions that are unverified can have real economic consequences. As Japan moves towards July 2025, its focus should be on science-based risk management and public education. Meanwhile, tourists are advised that they stay updated by checking appropriate official channels.