tourist industry struggles amidst Japanese disaster's looming deadline
In a turn of events that has caused public concern and impacted the tourism industry, renowned Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki has predicted a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan between July 5 and 7, 2022. However, Japanese seismologists and government officials have emphasised that there is no scientific basis for these predictions.
Tatsuki, who became widely known after her 1999 manga seemingly predicted the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, updated her book, "The Future I Saw," in 2021, warning of a "real catastrophe" in July. This time, she described an ocean floor crack between Japan and the Philippines and a tsunami potentially three times higher than the 2011 disaster impacting Japan’s southwest coast.
The Japanese Meteorological Agency and disaster prevention divisions have publicly dismissed these specific predictions as unreliable. Local governors have also urged the public not to be swayed by social media rumours or psychic claims lacking scientific evidence. Some psychics are sharing warnings similar to Tatsuki's, causing a stir among the public.
Despite these predictions, statistics released by Japan's National Tourism Organization in May show that overall inbound tourism remains strong this year for the country. However, the demand for travel to Japan has plummeted due to the predictions of a potential disaster. Some travelers are cancelling trips to Japan, causing concern among travel agencies.
In an attempt to counteract the decrease in demand, travel agencies are offering discounts. Hong Kong Airlines has cancelled all its flights to the southern Japanese prefectures of Kagoshima and Kumamoto in July and August due to the decrease in demand. The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 was one of the biggest nuclear disasters in history, and the memory of that disaster may be contributing to the current fears.
It is important to note that earthquakes can occur at any time, and it is currently difficult to predict an earthquake by specifying its date, time, and location. The Japanese Cabinet Office Disaster Prevention Division has emphasised this point. Japan continues to prepare for seismic risks based on scientific monitoring, but no credible scientific institution supports the notion of a predicted megaquake or tsunami on the indicated dates.
In conclusion, Tatsuki’s predictions are regarded as psychic or fictional visions rather than grounded in scientific earthquake forecasting. The Japanese government and seismologists advise the public to rely on scientific monitoring and preparedness measures, rather than psychic predictions, for earthquake and tsunami risk management.
Travel agencies in Japan are offering discounts to counteract the decline in demand for travel due to Ryo Tatsuki's predictions of a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. However, Japanese seismologists and government officials have repeatedly stressed that there's no scientific basis for these predictions, urging the public to rely on scientific monitoring and preparedness measures instead.
