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Tokyo, 6 July 2025 – Japan has experienced an extraordinary surge in seismic activity, with over 1,000 earthquakes recorded in the past two weeks, primarily around the Tokara Islands and southern Kyushu. While tremors are common in Japan, this intense flurry has coincided with a viral prophecy from a 1999 manga, sparking widespread public concern and media speculation.
📉 Seismic Surge and Evacuations
- On 3 July, a magnitude 5.5 quake struck near Akuseki Island, prompting the evacuation of its 89 residents to Kagoshima city.
- By 4 July, Japan had logged 159 earthquakes in 24 hours, with tremors felt from Hokkaido to Ibaraki.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) continues to monitor the region, warning of potential aftershocks but confirming no tsunami risk at present.
🔮 The Manga That Sparked Panic
The anxiety stems from The Future I Saw, a manga by Ryo Tatsuki, which predicted a megaquake and tsunami on 5 July 2025. Tatsuki previously gained notoriety for seemingly forecasting the 2011 Tōhoku disaster and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her latest prediction describes a rupture beneath the sea between Japan and the Philippines, triggering a tsunami “three times the size” of the 2011 event.
Despite Tatsuki’s disclaimer that she is “not a prophet,” her manga’s eerie accuracy has led to flight cancellations, tourism drops, and trending hashtags like #July5Disaster across East Asia.
🧪 Scientific Response
Seismologists and government officials have dismissed the prophecy as unscientific, emphasizing that earthquake prediction remains impossible with current technology.
“It’s regrettable that people are being affected by baseless information in this age of modern science,” said JMA Director-General Ryoichi Nomura.
🛡️ Preparedness Over Panic
Japan’s Central Disaster Management Council has already approved a national plan to reduce quake fatalities by 80% and halve infrastructure damage over the next decade. Measures include:
- Reinforcing buildings and bridges
- Expanding tsunami evacuation towers
- Mandating biannual drills in schools and workplaces
🌐 The Real Threat: Nankai Trough
While the manga prophecy failed to materialize, experts warn of a genuine risk from the Nankai Trough, a 900-kilometre trench off Japan’s Pacific coast. Government panels estimate an 80% chance of a megaquake there within 30 years, with worst-case projections of 300,000 deaths and 2 million buildings destroyed.
For a deeper dive into the seismic data and public reaction, see MSN’s full report and OneIndia’s coverage.
Earthquake Mitigation, GDS Infographics _ Flickr
