A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Thursday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The quake’s epicentre was located off the coast of the Tokara Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, approximately 1,200 kilometres from Tokyo. The agency confirmed that no tsunami warning had been issued following the tremor.
A seismic intensity level of '6-lower' on Japan’s 7-point scale was recorded on Akuseki Island, the agency reported.
A chilling prophecy by a manga artist has taken Japan by storm. Ryo Tatsuki, known as the “New Baba Vanga” of Japan, has predicted a disaster will strike the country on 5 July 2025. The prediction appears in her 2021 manga The Future I Saw, and although it gives no specific details, many are alarmed, especially because her past predictions have come true.
New megaquake prediction: Viral rumours, nervous visitors
Panic travels fast these days. A manga comic, reissued in 2021, predicted a huge disaster on 5 July 2025. The date has stuck online. Some foreign tourists are skipping Japan this summer. In May, Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Airlines cut flights, saying “demand has rapidly decreased,” a local tourism official told AFP.
What are officials saying?
Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai has responded to the growing speculation, urging the public not to give in to unfounded rumours. He stated, “There’s no need for concern—Japanese citizens aren’t leaving the country… I encourage people to ignore these rumours and continue visiting.”
Despite these reassurances, the prediction continues to dominate social media, with hashtags like #July5Disaster trending online. Users are speculating about a range of possible events, from earthquakes to cyberattacks, fueling ongoing anxiety.en drop in demand, according to a local tourism official quoted by AFP.
A megaquake is a matter of when, not if, say Japanese officials. Calm heads, solid plans and strong teamwork could stop the worst. The rest is up to nature — and how ready people are to face it when the ground shakes again.
The quake’s epicentre was located off the coast of the Tokara Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, approximately 1,200 kilometres from Tokyo. The agency confirmed that no tsunami warning had been issued following the tremor.
A seismic intensity level of '6-lower' on Japan’s 7-point scale was recorded on Akuseki Island, the agency reported.
A chilling prophecy by a manga artist has taken Japan by storm. Ryo Tatsuki, known as the “New Baba Vanga” of Japan, has predicted a disaster will strike the country on 5 July 2025. The prediction appears in her 2021 manga The Future I Saw, and although it gives no specific details, many are alarmed, especially because her past predictions have come true.
New megaquake prediction: Viral rumours, nervous visitors
Panic travels fast these days. A manga comic, reissued in 2021, predicted a huge disaster on 5 July 2025. The date has stuck online. Some foreign tourists are skipping Japan this summer. In May, Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Airlines cut flights, saying “demand has rapidly decreased,” a local tourism official told AFP.
What are officials saying?
Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai has responded to the growing speculation, urging the public not to give in to unfounded rumours. He stated, “There’s no need for concern—Japanese citizens aren’t leaving the country… I encourage people to ignore these rumours and continue visiting.”
Despite these reassurances, the prediction continues to dominate social media, with hashtags like #July5Disaster trending online. Users are speculating about a range of possible events, from earthquakes to cyberattacks, fueling ongoing anxiety.en drop in demand, according to a local tourism official quoted by AFP.
A megaquake is a matter of when, not if, say Japanese officials. Calm heads, solid plans and strong teamwork could stop the worst. The rest is up to nature — and how ready people are to face it when the ground shakes again.
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