Flight Reductions Follow Rumors of "Major Earthquake in Japan in July"... Japanese Government Says "Prediction Impossible"

Prophecies by Feng Shui Master and Manga Artist Spread on Social Media
Japan Responds: "Earthquakes Cannot Be Predicted"

Rumors that a major earthquake will occur in Japan this July are spreading in places such as Hong Kong. In response, the Japanese government has moved quickly to quell the rumors, stating that earthquake prediction is impossible.

According to the Asahi Shimbun on April 26, the Japanese Cabinet Office posted on its disaster prevention information account on X (formerly Twitter) on April 24, saying, "It is difficult to predict the time and place of an earthquake with current scientific knowledge." Regarding this explanation, a Cabinet Office official told the Asahi that it was made "in consideration of several prophecies that can be regarded as rumors."

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The prophecies mentioned refer to earthquake predictions by a Japanese manga artist and a well-known feng shui master from Hong Kong. In the manga "The Complete Edition of The Future I Saw," published in 2021 by Japanese manga artist Tatsuki Ryo, it is stated that "a true great disaster will come in July 2025." The manga describes a great disaster as follows: "(In a dream) the seabed between Japan and the Philippines suddenly erupted. As a result, huge waves spread in all directions from the sea surface, and tsunamis struck countries around the Pacific." Tatsuki gained fame for predicting the 3.11 Great East Japan Earthquake in a manga published in 1996. It is also known that a famous feng shui master from Hong Kong mentioned that "the risk of earthquakes in Japan will increase between June and August." These prophecies are spreading in Hong Kong through social networking services (SNS) and other channels.

Amid these developments, Hong Kong's low-cost carrier Greater Bay Airlines has decided to reduce some flights connecting Hong Kong with Sendai and Tokushima in Japan from mid-next month. A representative from the airline explained that while they had expected an occupancy rate of around 80% for these routes between late March and April, the actual rate was only about 40%. However, the Asahi reported that Greater Bay Airlines does not plan to reduce flights on the Hong Kong-Narita and Hong Kong-Kansai routes.

In response, Yoshihiro Murai, governor of Miyagi Prefecture, the regional government that includes Sendai City, pointed out at a press conference on April 23, "It is an unacceptable problem that unscientific rumors are spreading on SNS and affecting tourism." An official from the Japan National Tourism Organization said, "There are reports that people are canceling trips to Japan (from places like Hong Kong), so we are gathering information."