Earthquake Panic Sparked by Manga Leads to Sharp Drop in Tourism... "5 Trillion Won in Losses Expected"

Japanese Travel Industry Hit Hard by Rumors
Nomura Research Institute: "Estimated Loss of About 5 Trillion Won"

Gimpo International Airport's international Japan Airlines check-in counters are relatively quiet. This is a stock photo unrelated to the article content. Photo by Asia Economy DB

As rumors of a major earthquake in Japan in July spread, an analysis has predicted that the travel and tourism industry could suffer losses of approximately 5 trillion won.

On July 5, Asahi News in Japan reported, "Due to a certain manga, baseless rumors have spread that a major disaster would occur in Japan on July 5. As foreign media outlets from the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere reported on the possibility of a major earthquake, tourism demand in Japan has sharply declined since May."

Kiuchi Nobuhide, an economist at Nomura Research Institute, projected that tourism revenue would decrease by 560 billion yen (approximately 5.29 trillion won) as the number of tourists visiting Japan drops. This is due to the marked decline in demand, such as Greater Bay Airlines, a Hong Kong low-cost carrier, deciding on July 2 to suspend flights to small cities like Yonago and Tokushima starting in September.

Starting this September, Greater Bay Airlines, a Hong Kong low-cost carrier, has decided to suspend flights to small cities such as Yonago and Tokushima in Japan. Greater Bay Airlines

This situation stems from rumors, based on the manga artist Tatsuki Ryo's "The Future I Saw: Complete Edition," that a major earthquake would occur in Japan in July this year. On social media, even a specific date and time?'July 5 at 4:18 a.m.'?was widely circulated as the predicted moment of the earthquake.

However, Tatsuki dismissed these rumors, stating, "All I did was dream that a disaster would occur in July 2025, but I did not specify an exact date," and added, "I do think it is a good thing that, as a result of these rumors spreading, disaster preparedness awareness has increased."

In reality, no significant earthquakes were reported in Japan on July 5. However, the fear that something might happen in July continues, and tension remains high within Japan's travel industry.

The Japan Meteorological Agency explained, "In Japan, there are about 2,000 earthquakes of magnitude 1 or higher each year," and added, "It is scientifically impossible to predict the exact date, magnitude, or location of an earthquake."