Japan Urges Public Calm as Manga’s ‘July 5 Megaquake’ Sparks Panic

Authorities dismiss doomsday rumors from popular Japanese comic amid spike in tremors.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) has appealed for calm following public concern over earthquake activity and a popular manga prophecy. The comic, The Future I Saw by Ryo Tatsuki, predicted a massive earthquake around July 5, 2025, fueling panic after more than 1,000 tremors were recorded in the Tokara Islands and Kagoshima region.

The quakes, including some reaching magnitude 5.5, led to temporary evacuations in affected areas. While the timing stirred anxiety due to the manga’s previously accurate prediction of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, JMA officials stressed that seismic events cannot be forecasted with precision.

Spokesperson Ayataka Ebita emphasized, “There is no causal connection between fiction and geological activity.” Despite this, tourism has dipped—especially from Hong Kong—amid ongoing aftershocks and cancellations.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation while urging residents and tourists to rely solely on official information and preparedness guidance.