A Japanese manga fans read a comedy at his home in Kamisu in the Japanese Iberaki province.
Philip Fung AFP | Gety pictures
The visitor’s interest in Japan decreased in June, amid a prophecy in a manga that predicted a “catastrophe” that will strike Japan in July 2025.
The prediction of the reprint in 2021 was from a Japanese comic book, or a manga, entitled “Watashi Ga Mirai, KanzenBan” (which translates into “the future that I saw, the full edition”) of the artist Ryo Tatsuki.
In the original printing of the book in 1999, the cover page referred to a “disaster in March 2011”.
In March 2011, Japan suffered from its strongest earthquake ever, the Great Tuoko earthquake, which caused about 20,000 deaths and disaster Fukushima Dychi nuclear.
the Amazon menu Re -printing stated that the author has “new prophetic dreams” including the “real disaster that will come in July 2025”, according to Google’s translation.
CN Yuen, Hong Kong Travel Agency’s headquarters, told CNBC that rumors were widely distributed in Hong Kong, where they spread to the main media, television networks and through YouTube effects.
The number of visitors to Hong Kong fell 33.4 % on an annual basis in June, after a decrease earlier 11.2 % in May, according to the National Tourism Organization in Japan.
Yuen said his agency witnessed a 50 % decrease in reservations and inquiries in April and May to Japan last year.
Tourists from other Asian countries faced slower growth. Expatriates from South Korea rose only by 3.8 % in June, compared to 11.8 % in May. Expatriates from Taiwan slowed a 15.5 % increase in May to 1.8 % in June.
Visitors abroad to Japan grew by 24 %, on average, from January to May of this year, compared to 2024. But expatriates in June only occupied 7.6 %, according to travel statistics in Japan.
“Ideal Storm”
Yuen of WWPKG said he is accustomed to the travel of natural disasters retreat, which usually ends after the accident ends.
But “this time, it is different, because nothing happened in reality. It is just a rumor, or a prophecy.” “This is the first time we have seen such an accident.”
Hong Kong and the Japanese media It was mentioned earlier in July Hong Kong airlines cut flights to some Japanese cities, including Nagoya.
January report from Japan Asi ShimbonYuen said the country’s headquarters for the country’s headquarters to enhance earthquake research, also warned that the possibility of Megacak in the next thirty years has risen to 80 % – along with prediction, creating a “perfect storm” to deter travelers.
Asian tourists are more affected than Western tourists
JNTO data showed that the share of Asian tourists decreased year on an annual basis in June, but western countries rose.
CNBC experts spoke to various reasons, including cultural causes.
“The manga is not only entertainment, it is widely read across the age groups and holds a little cultural authority in some Asian societies,” said Zimbia Campbell, a senior lecturer at James Cook University.
She said that, in addition to the memories of previous disasters and the reality of Japanese seismic weakness, means that such warnings “resonate strongly” in the region.
The rapid spread of rumors through social media platforms and the collective nature of many Asian societies led to social exaggeration of the perceived risks.
“This means that even if some individuals have doubts, the collective response to their community or peers can significantly affect their decisions, which leads to large -scale behavioral changes, such as canceling travel,” said Keatkokin.
“In this case, the fictional narration that social media amplified could create a convincing cause, although it was unfounded to postpone travel,” he said.
But both experts also pointed to a normal reason: the flexibility of short travel.
Kiatkawsin said the costs of canceling flights and hotel reservations are no longer a barrier.
“If they do not travel to Japan this time, they can go to another time without a lot of trouble to arrange again,” he added.
Kiatkawsin said it is not expected to predict the total travel forecast for Japan, given that the prediction is limited to July.
– Kaela Ling from CNBC contributed to this story.
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