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Recent Earthquake Aftermath in Japan
On January 4, 2024, Wajima, Japan, was devastated by fire following an earthquake, with areas like Asaichi-dori street being significantly affected. A man navigates through the remnants of the street amidst ongoing recovery efforts.
Amid this crisis, Japan’s government issued a warning about potential strong aftershocks in the waters southwest of its main islands. However, officials cautioned the public against falling prey to baseless predictions of a significant disaster.
On Friday, certain residents of remote islands near the epicenter of a 5.5-magnitude quake were evacuated as a precaution. This quake, which struck the previous Thursday, was strong enough to pose challenges for those trying to maintain their footing and was part of over 1,000 tremors recorded in Kagoshima Prefecture over the past two weeks. These seismic events have fueled rumors sparked by a manga that allegedly predicts a major disaster for Japan this month.
“Our current scientific understanding does not allow us to specify the timing, location, or intensity of an earthquake,” stated Ayataka Ebita, head of the earthquake and tsunami monitoring division at the Japan Meteorological Agency, following another quake measuring 5.4-magnitude on Saturday. “We urge everyone to rely on scientifically grounded information,” Ebita emphasized during a press briefing.
The manga that has garnered attention for allegedly forecasting a catastrophic event on Saturday has caused some travelers to think twice about visiting Japan. Data reveals that arrivals from Hong Kong—where the rumors gained traction—declined by 11% in May compared to the same month last year.
Despite the current concerns, Japan has welcomed record numbers of visitors in 2023, with April alone seeing 3.9 million tourists—the highest monthly figure on record.
Ryo Tatsuki, the creator of “The Future I Saw,” a manga originally published in 1999 and re-released in 2021, clarified that she does not possess prophetic abilities in a statement through her publisher.
Earthquakes are a regular occurrence in Japan, a region known for its seismic activity, accounting for approximately 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more.
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