Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A Japanese manga fan reads a comic book at his home in Kamisu at Japanese Ibaraki Prefecture.
Philip Fong | AFP | Ghetto images
Visitors’ interest in Japan was immersed in June against a manga prophecy, which predicts that “disaster” would hit Japan in July 2025.
The prognosis was in the reprint of a Japanese comic book from 2021, entitled “Watashi Ga Mita Mirai, Kanzenban” (which means “the future I saw, a whole edition”) by the artist Rio Tatsuki.
In the original book of the book in 1999, the roof page referred to Disaster in March 2011
In March 2011, Japan suffered its most powerful earthquake, the major earthquake of Tohoku, causing almost 20,000 deaths and Fukushima Dayici’s nuclear disaster.
Thehe Amazon Listing The reprint said that the author has “new prophetic dreams”, including “the real disaster will come in July 2025,” according to Google.
CN Yuen, managing director of Hong Kong -based travel agency WWPKG, told CNBC that hearing is widespread in Hong Kong, where it is distributed in the main media, television networks and through YouTube Influenters.
Visitors arriving from Hong Kong were immersed by 33.4% a year in June, after a more 11.2% drop in May, according to the National Tourism Organization of Japan.
Yuen said his agency noticed a 50% reduction in reservations and inquiries in April and May in Japan last year.
Tourist arrivals from other Asian countries are also experiencing more slow growth. Arrival from South Korea increased only 3.8% in June compared to 11.8% in May. Arrival from Taiwan also slowed down significantly, from a 15.5% increase in May to 1.8% in June.
Overseas visitors to Japan increased on average by 24% from January to May this year, compared to 2024, but the arrival of June only 7.6% increase, according to travel statistics in Japan.
“Perfect storm”
WWPKG’s Yuen said he was used to traveling down, related to natural disasters that usually end after the incident is over.
But “this time is different because nothing has happened in fact. It’s just a rumor or a prophecy,” he told CNBC. “This is the first time we saw such an incident.”
Hong Kong and Japanese media Reported earlier in July This Hong Kong airline interrupts flights to some Japanese cities, including Nagoya.
A January report from Japanese Asahi ShimbunReferring to the country’s headquarters to promote earthquake research, he also warned that the likelihood of megakus over the next 30 years has increased to 80% – a development, which in combination with the forecast has created a “perfect storm” to deter passengers, Yuen said.
However, The Japan Meteorological Agency said: “It should be noted that the issuance of information showing increased potential for an earthquake in Nankai Trough does not necessarily mean that one will actually hit.”
Asian tourists more affected by the western
JNTO data show that the share of Asian tourists falls year by year in June, but that of Western countries is increasing.
CNBC experts spoke to various reasons, including cultural.
“Manga is not just fun; it is widely read in age groups and carries a little cultural power in some Asian societies,” says Zilmia Camble, a senior teacher of hotel and tourism management at James Cook University.
This, combined with memories of past disasters and the reality of Japan’s seismic vulnerability, means that such warnings “resonate” strongly in the region, she said.
Kiattipoom Kiatkawsin, Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management from the Singapore Institute of Management, said the rapid distribution of rumors through social media platforms and the collectivist nature of many Asian societies led to the social amplification of perceived risk.
“This means that even if some people have doubts, the collective response of their community or peers can significantly affect their decisions, leading to widespread changes in behavior, such as cancellation of travel,” Kiatausin said.
“In this case, a fictional story, enhanced by social media, could create a convincing if a scientifically unfounded reason to delay the trip,” he said.
But both experts also stated a more ordinary reason: the flexibility of short-distance journeys.
Kiatausin said the cost of canceling flights and reservations of the hotel is no longer perceived as a barrier.
“If they don’t travel to Japan this time, they can go another time without much hassle again,” he added.
Kiatausin said he did not expect the prognosis to affect the general prospects for traveling in Japan, given that the forecast was limited to July.
– Cael Ling from CNBC has contributed to this story.
