Over the past several weeks, a previously little-known manga has captured widespread attention both in Japan and internationally. In *The Future I Saw* (*Watashi ga Mita Mirai*), author Ryo Tatsuki claims to have foreseen a massive natural disaster set to strike Japan in July 2025. This prophecy has reportedly influenced some travelers to cancel their summer plans to visit Japan, sparking viral discussions on Japanese social media platforms. What is fueling belief in Tatsuki’s predictions? And how has an upcoming Japanese horror film become intertwined with this growing unease?

Ryo Tatsuki first published her manga *The Future I Saw* in 1999. The work features a version of Tatsuki herself as a character and draws from dream journals she has kept since 1985. The original 1999 edition’s cover shows Tatsuki’s character holding one eye open, with floating postcards above her head hinting at various “visions” she had recorded. One such note reads, “March 2011: A Great Disaster.” Following the catastrophic Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011, readers rediscovered Tatsuki’s manga, and rare copies of the out-of-print book began selling for high prices online.

In 2021, a revised edition titled *The Future I Saw: Complete Edition* was released. In it, Tatsuki added a new vision: a prediction that a far greater natural disaster will occur in July 2025—one involving a tsunami three times the size of the 2011 event. Given that her earlier prediction about March 2011 appeared to come true, news of her new forecast quickly gained traction across Japanese social networks.

As reported by multiple outlets, some individuals—particularly in Hong Kong where the manga is available in translation—have reportedly canceled travel plans to Japan due to fears surrounding the July 2025 disaster. While the extent of this decline remains uncertain, local influencers like Master Seven, a well-known fortune-teller and TV personality, have amplified the warning. He claimed that Japan faces an elevated risk of earthquakes between June and August 2025.

Domestic Japanese coverage has focused on how airlines are responding to these concerns. According to reports by ANN News and other outlets, Hong Kong Airlines recently canceled its weekly flights to Sendai—a city heavily affected by the 2011 disaster. Similarly, Greater Bay Airlines announced reduced direct services from Hong Kong to Sendai and Tokushima between May and October, citing decreased demand linked to the disaster rumors and economic uncertainty. Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai addressed the issue in a late April press conference, dismissing the predictions as unscientific and encouraging tourists not to be swayed by them.

This surge of media attention around *The Future I Saw* and its impact on tourism has reignited public interest in the manga. On May 23, it was announced that the Complete Edition had surpassed [ttpp] million copies sold. This spike in popularity also aligns with the release of an upcoming horror film titled *July 5, 2025, 4:18 AM*, set to debut in Japanese theaters on June 27. The movie follows a protagonist whose life begins to unravel after her birthday on July 5, drawing inspiration from the manga’s July 2025 disaster prophecy. As a result, the film’s marketing appears to be benefiting from the surrounding buzz.

However, some social media posts and video content circulating in Japan have inaccurately suggested that the film title refers directly to the predicted date of the disaster. These misleading narratives often mix scientific facts about seismic risks with sensationalized warnings. In response, publisher Asuka Shinsha issued a formal clarification: “We would like to emphasize once again that the author (Tatsuki) did not refer to the specific date and time mentioned in the movie title. We ask that people take care not to be misled by partial or fragmented information shared in the media and on social platforms.”

Japan is no stranger to natural disasters, experiencing everything from earthquakes and tsunamis to floods and landslides. While Tatsuki’s predictions may lack scientific basis, they tap into real, data-supported anxieties. Seismologists estimate a 70–80% probability of a Nankai Trough megaquake occurring within the next 30 years (sources: Asahi News, Kobe University). Earlier this year, the Japanese government updated its projections for potential casualties, estimating up to 300,000 deaths should such a quake strike. The Nankai Trough fault line could generate massive tsunamis, which explains why alarmist content merges Tatsuki’s premonition with legitimate worst-case scenarios. However, the Japan Meteorological Agency clearly states on its official website that predicting the exact timing and location of major quakes is currently impossible and labels such forecasts as hoaxes.

Many Japanese commenters on X (formerly Twitter) have criticized the media frenzy and panic surrounding Tatsuki’s manga. One user remarked, “It’s ridiculous to believe disaster predictions from a comic. The Nankai Trough earthquake could happen any day now.” Tatsuki herself responded to the rising attention, expressing hope that increased awareness might improve personal disaster preparedness—but urging followers not to overreact or rely solely on her visions. She emphasized the importance of following expert guidance when preparing for natural disasters (Mainichi Shimbun).