Amid Rumors of a "Major Earthquake in Japan This Summer,"
Chinese Embassy in Japan Urges Citizens to Exercise Caution
Amid rumors spreading in places such as Hong Kong that a major earthquake will strike Japan this summer, it has come to light that the Chinese Embassy in Japan has warned its citizens of the possibility of a major earthquake in Japan, advising them to exercise caution when traveling, studying abroad, or purchasing real estate in Japan.
According to the Sankei Shimbun on April 28, the Chinese Embassy in Japan posted a notice titled "Earthquake Damage Precautions" on its website on April 14. The embassy introduced damage estimates from the Japanese Cabinet Office's expert review committee regarding the potential Nankai megathrust earthquake, and provided safety guidelines to Chinese nationals residing in Japan.
Previously, on March 31, the Japanese Cabinet Office's expert review committee estimated that if a magnitude 9.0 Nankai megathrust earthquake were to occur off the coast of Hyuganada, Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu, it could result in the deaths of 298,000 people and cause economic damage of up to 29.23 trillion yen (approximately 2,935 trillion won). After presenting these figures, the embassy listed general safety measures such as stockpiling emergency food and evacuating quickly in the event of a disaster, and stated, "We recommend that you carefully plan any travel or study in Japan, and make prudent decisions regarding real estate purchases."
Recently in Hong Kong, rumors have been spreading as if they were fact, based on the Japanese author Tatsuki Ryo's manga "The Future I Saw: Complete Edition," which claims, "The true great disaster will come in July 2025." As a result, there are now unfounded rumors that a Nankai megathrust earthquake will occur this July. Tatsuki gained fame for allegedly predicting the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake in a manga published in 1996.
As these rumors have spread, demand for travel to Japan has sharply declined. Greater Bay Airlines in Hong Kong has decided to reduce some flights connecting Hong Kong with Sendai and Tokushima in Japan starting in mid-May. The Sankei Shimbun analyzed, "Due to these rumors, the number of tourists from Hong Kong to Japan has decreased, leading to a reduction in flights to Sendai and Tokushima," and added, "The Chinese Embassy in Japan's warning is also contributing to speculation about the occurrence of a major earthquake in Japan."
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