The impact of predictions about potential natural disasters is once again at the forefront of current events in Japan, where a mixture of fear, tradition, and popular credulity is generating significant social and economic consequences. In recent days, anxiety and uncertainty have gripped a large part of the population and foreign visitors following a warning about a major tsunami predicted in a popular Japanese manga.
The sudden drop in tourist bookings in certain iconic areas of Japan has surprised both local authorities and international travel agencies. It is estimated that bookings have fallen by up to 50% , a devastating figure that is not linked to armed conflicts or price increases, but rather to a prediction published decades ago whose echo has recently resurfaced.
The manga that predicts disasters and sows fear
To understand the origin of this wave of cancellations and the fear surrounding it, we must go back to 1999. That year, Ryo Tatsuki's "The Future I Saw" was published in Japan . Tatsuki, an author, depicted scenes inspired by prophetic dreams in its pages. Although it went relatively unnoticed outside of fan circles at the time, the manga has gained prestige and notoriety as some of the predictions narrated within it have supposedly come true.
Among Tatsuki's most talked-about predictions are the great earthquake of 2011 in Japan , the 2020 global health pandemic, and the death dates of such well-known figures as Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury. This has fueled a following convinced of the veracity of the author's visions, and has made each new prediction especially closely watched and feared.
Supertsunami in the summer of 2025: tourism on alert
What is now generating fear in Japanese and Asian society is the prediction of a super tsunami that, according to the manga, would occur this summer on the coast of Japan, with a magnitude greater than previous events. Although seismologists and experts have long warned about the possibility of a major earthquake in the region, Tatsuki's narrative has taken root in the collective imagination in an unusual way, to the point of influencing travel plans and hotel bookings.
The fear that the prediction will come true has spread beyond Japan's borders, particularly affecting tourists from mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Vietnam. In these countries, numerous videos and social media posts emphasize the importance of avoiding Japan in the coming months to avoid exposure to the predicted disaster.
A domino effect in the tourism industry
The impact of these predictions isn't limited to rumors or social media comments. International travel agencies themselves have reported a sharp decline in bookings. According to the managing director of a major Hong Kong-based agency, bookings to Japan fell by half during Easter week , and the trend is downward for the following months.
The figures are so striking that even Japanese authorities have issued statements urging calm and reminding everyone that there is no conclusive scientific evidence to support the imminence of the disaster predicted in the manga. However, the perception of risk is a difficult factor to combat, especially when popular beliefs are echoed by previous real-life events.
Predictions, culture, and misinformation: an explosive combination
Japanese culture has a long tradition of stories and beliefs about the future . It's not the first time a manga or work of fiction has influenced the social agenda, although in this case, the context of global uncertainty seems to have amplified its effect. The viral spread of fears, coupled with their alignment with past predictions that are interpreted as accurate, has given rise to a phenomenon where the line between information, beliefs, and misinformation becomes blurred.
Meanwhile, the tourism sector is trying to weather the storm , and authorities are reinforcing their messages of reassurance. It will be necessary to continue paying attention to how these predictions evolve and their actual impact on travel decisions, as well as the role that communication can play in preventing similar crises of confidence in the future.
