"July 2025 Japan Disaster Prediction Causes Fear and Holiday Plan Changes"

Over the past few weeks, a previously obscure manga has surged into the global spotlight, sparking widespread discussion in Japan and beyond. The Future I Saw (Watashi ga Mita Mirai) by Ryo Tatsuki claims that Japan will face a catastrophic natural disaster in July 2025—specifically, a tsunami three times larger than the one that struck in March 2011. This prediction has fueled growing anxiety, with some travelers canceling summer trips to Japan, particularly from Hong Kong, and social media platforms ablaze with speculation.

Originally published in 1999, The Future I Saw is based on Tatsuki’s personal dream diaries, which she has kept since 1985. The manga presents her visions through illustrated postcards floating above her character, one of which eerily reads “March 2011: A Great Disaster.” Following the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, public interest in the out-of-print manga resurged, driving up prices on auction sites as readers searched for copies.

People pray as they take part in a minute's silence to remember the victims on the 14th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. Photo by STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images.

In 2021, a revised edition titled The Future I Saw: Complete Edition was released, introducing a new vision: a massive disaster in July 2025. With Tatsuki’s earlier prediction seemingly fulfilled, her latest warning quickly gained traction online. The narrative was further amplified by Hong Kong-based fortune-teller and media personality Master Seven, who claimed that Japan’s earthquake risk would be elevated between June and August 2025—adding to public unease.

This growing concern appears to have impacted travel demand. According to reports from Sankei Shimbun and CNN, Hong Kong Airlines has canceled its three weekly flights to Sendai, a city heavily affected by the 2011 disaster. Greater Bay Airlines has also reduced direct flights to Sendai and Tokushima from May to October, citing declining bookings. While economic factors may play a role, speculation around the July 2025 prediction is believed to be contributing to the downturn.

Yoshihiro Murai, governor of Miyagi Prefecture (where Sendai is located), addressed the issue in a press conference at the end of April, dismissing the predictions as “unscientific” and urging tourists not to let them influence their travel plans.

Meanwhile, the renewed attention has driven impressive sales: the Complete Edition of The Future I Saw surpassed 1 million copies sold by May 23. This surge in popularity coincides with the upcoming release of a Japanese horror film titled July 5, 2025, 4:18 AM, set to premiere in theaters on June 27. The movie follows a protagonist whose life unravels as strange events unfold around her birthday—July 5. Inspired by Tatsuki’s prophecy, the film uses the predicted 2025 disaster as a thematic backdrop.

However, confusion has emerged online, with some social media content incorrectly suggesting the film’s title specifies the exact date and time of the predicted earthquake. In response, publisher Asuka Shinsha issued a formal clarification: “We would like to emphasize once again that the author (Tatsuki) did not refer to the specific date and time mentioned in the movie title. We would appreciate it if people could take care not to be misled by fragmented information in the press and on social media.”

Japan’s vulnerability to natural disasters is well-documented. Seismologists estimate a 70–80% probability of a Nankai Trough megaquake occurring within the next 30 years (Asahi News, Kobe University). In March 2025, the Japanese government updated its projections, warning that such a quake could result in approximately 300,000 fatalities and trigger massive tsunamis across coastal regions. These scientifically grounded concerns are often conflated with Tatsuki’s prediction, amplifying fear despite the lack of precise forecasting capabilities.

The Japan Meteorological Agency explicitly states on its homepage that predicting the exact date and location of major earthquakes is currently impossible and labels such claims as “hoaxes.”

Despite the media frenzy, many Japanese netizens have pushed back. On X, one user commented, “It’s stupid to believe in disaster predictions from a manga. The Nankai Trough quake could happen today or tomorrow.” Tatsuki herself has responded cautiously, expressing hope that renewed interest in her work might encourage better disaster preparedness, but urging the public not to be “overly influenced” by her visions. In an interview with Mainichi Shimbun, she emphasized the importance of relying on expert guidance and official information.