A chilling prediction by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, widely dubbed the "New Baba Vanga," has triggered widespread anxiety across Japan and parts of Asia, leading to an 83% drop in flight bookings from Hong Kong to Japan between late June and early July.
In her 1999 manga The Future I Saw, Tatsuki — who previously predicted the Covid-19 pandemic — warned of a major disaster striking Japan on July 5. The prediction stated, “A great catastrophe will happen in Japan.”
In the republished version, the warning is even more specific: on July 5, a crack will allegedly open under the seabed between Japan and the Philippines, unleashing waves three times larger than those generated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.
In response, Hong Kong Airlines has suspended flights to southern Japanese cities like Kagoshima and Kumamoto for July and August, citing sharply reduced demand linked to fears surrounding the predicted tsunami and earthquake.
As the ominous date approaches, flight bookings from Hong Kong have plunged 50% compared to last year, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Regional airlines, particularly those operating Boeing aircraft, have reported a 15–20% rise in cancellations.
Even bookings for the popular spring holiday season in April and May saw a 50% decline from the previous year, according to a Hong Kong travel agency. Many travelers have either canceled or postponed their trips due to growing unease.
Given the typically high demand during Japan's cherry blossom season and Hong Kong’s Easter holidays, Greater Bay Airlines initially found the weak bookings puzzling. “We expected around 80% of the seats to be filled, but actual reservations only reached 40%,” said Hiroki Ito, the airline’s Japan office general manager, as reported by The Guardian.
In an attempt to calm public fears, Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai urged people to ignore the rumors. “There’s no reason to worry because the Japanese are not fleeing abroad. I hope people will ignore the rumors and visit,” he said.
Ryo Tatsuki is known for making several accurate predictions in the past, including the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Princess Diana’s death, Freddie Mercury’s passing, and the Covid-19 pandemic. She has also warned of a deadlier Covid variant emerging in 2030.