The manga factor: How a 1999 comic shook Japan’s tourism industry

As Japan’s tourism industry entered 2025 on a historic high, with record-breaking visitor numbers and a global spotlight on its cultural allure, it faced an unexpected challenge this summer. Not from a natural disaster, not from geopolitical tension, but from a decades-old manga. A graphic novel titled Watashi ga Mita Mirai (The Future I Saw), first published in 1999 by elusive Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki, has caused a sudden and significant drop in travel bookings to Japan, thanks to a viral “prediction” of a massive earthquake set to strike on July 5, 2025.

A fictional forecast fuels real fears

The manga gained renewed attention earlier this year when readers unearthed its eerily specific prophecy: a major quake, a deep crack forming beneath the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, and a tsunami with waves “three times” taller than those in the devastating 2011 disaster. The unsettling imagery, paired with the fact that the original edition appeared to foreshadow the Fukushima earthquake and nuclear crisis, quickly spiralled into viral anxiety, especially in Hong Kong.

Social media platforms lit up with clips, screenshots, and dramatised readings of the manga. TikTok creators warned their followers against travelling to Japan in July. Conspiracy forums debated whether Tatsuki was a misunderstood prophet. In Hong Kong, where the manga’s re-release has found a cult-like following, travel agents reported a wave of cancellations and hesitations.

The data backs the hysteria: Flight bookings from Hong Kong to Japan have dropped by nearly 50 per cent year-on-year, according to ForwardKeys. Between late June and early July alone, reservations plummeted by 83 per cent. Travel agencies like EGL Tours have slashed prices and even offered earthquake insurance, but to little effect. Airlines such as Greater Bay Airlines have responded by suspending flights to Japanese destinations like Tokushima due to the dramatic fall in demand.

Expert rebuttals and an author’s clarification

Scientists and seismologists have been quick to debunk the panic. Professor Robert Geller, a veteran seismologist from the University of Tokyo, told Travel and Tour World that earthquake prediction, even when backed by decades of research, is not scientifically possible. “There is no reliable way to predict when or where a major earthquake will strike,” Geller said.

Japan, which sits on the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences thousands of small quakes every year. The recent uptick of tremors, with over 900 recorded in the Kyushu region, has added fuel to the speculative fire, despite most being minor.

In an attempt to quiet the frenzy, Tatsuki herself stepped into the conversation. In interviews with Japanese outlet Mainichi Shimbun and The Guardian, she clarified that The Future I Saw was never intended as a prophecy. “I’m not a prophet,” Tatsuki said. “My work is meant to raise awareness and encourage preparedness, not fear.”

But her comments have done little to stop the runaway panic. In the age of viral misinformation, even a fictional account can be interpreted as a chilling prediction.

A temporary tremor in Japan’s tourism story?

The timing couldn’t be worse. Japan had just begun enjoying a full rebound in international tourism following years of pandemic-related travel restrictions. In April 2025, the country welcomed a record 3.9 million visitors, driven by its springtime beauty, cultural experiences, and culinary wonders. But as July approaches, many travellers are hitting pause.

Industry experts believe that the fallout, though sharp, will be short-lived. Japan’s tourism agencies said they have seen similar viral trends before, the situations create momentary dips, but the appeal of Japan usually prevails.

Whether tourism rebounds quickly or takes longer to recover, The Future I Saw incident stands as a compelling case study in how online narratives, no matter how fictional, can have tangible, global consequences.

For now, July 5 is just a date on the calendar. But for Japan's tourism sector, it marks a moment when art, anxiety, and algorithmic amplification collided, rewriting the travel plans of thousands.