"July 5 Japan Catastrophe" Prophecy
Artist Changes Her Statement Amid Ongoing Controversy
"On July 5, 2025, an undersea volcano in the middle of the Philippine Sea will erupt, causing a disaster in Japan."
The so-called "July 2025 Japan Catastrophe" rumor, which originated from a popular Japanese manga, has spread beyond Japan to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and around the world. In response, the manga artist who made the prediction has stepped forward to address the situation. While the artist continues to warn of the possibility of a disaster, he denied the specific date prediction of "July 5," stating, "The day I had the dream does not necessarily mean something will happen on that day."
A manga artist who predicted a major disaster in Japan this July has come forward to clarify. The photo shows the scene during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Photo by Getty Images
On the 24th, Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported, "Manga artist Ryo Tatsuki (70) published a new book this month, 'Angel's Testament,'" and added, "While he has not withdrawn the theory of a major disaster in July, he has revised his stance on the specific date of 'July 5.'"
Previously, Tatsuki attracted significant attention for her manga "The Future I Saw," published in 1999 based on her own precognitive dream. The manga appeared to predict both the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Especially in the 2021 revised edition of this book, she wrote, "I repeatedly dreamed of a major disaster occurring this year. In July 2025, a real catastrophe will strike Japan," which sparked widespread controversy.
In the book, she described, "An undersea volcano between Japan and the Philippine Sea will erupt, and a tsunami will hit countries around the Pacific Ocean," adding, "The height of the waves will be about three times greater than during the Great East Japan Earthquake." She also specified, "If the date I dreamed of coincides with the actual event, the next catastrophe will occur on July 5, 2025."
The "July Japan Catastrophe" rumor that began with this book spread from Japan to South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other countries worldwide. In Hong Kong, where feng shui is highly valued, bookings for flights to Japan dropped by more than 80% compared to the previous year, and some airlines even reduced their routes. Greater Bay Airlines, a Hong Kong-based carrier, told the Mainichi Shimbun in May, "Many passengers are concerned about the prophecy. We had no choice but to reduce flights to avoid losses."
A manga artist who predicted a major disaster in Japan this July has come forward to clarify. The photo shows the scene during the Great East Japan Earthquake. Getty Images
As the "July Japan Catastrophe" prediction continued to spread, the artist told the Sankei Shimbun, "The high level of interest in the prophecy is a positive sign that disaster preparedness awareness is increasing," and added, "I hope this interest will lead to improved safety measures and preparedness."
Regarding the previously predicted date of "July 5, 2025," she explained, "It seems that the date was mentioned in the book based on speculation from past experiences," and emphasized, "The day I had the dream does not necessarily mean something will happen on that day." However, she maintained, "I am also being particularly cautious when going out and paying attention to stockpiling and other preparations for disasters," reiterating her belief that "July 2025" will be a significant turning point.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government and the Japan Meteorological Agency have strongly refuted such predictions, calling them false information. At a regular press conference last month, Japan Meteorological Agency Director Ryuichi Nomura stated, "With current scientific knowledge, it is impossible to predict the exact time, place, and magnitude of an earthquake," and warned, "Such predictive information should be considered a hoax."
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