Japanese Baba Vanga Predictions: Why Tourists Are Cancelling Trips To Japan At Massive Rates

Tourism to Japan is taking an unexpected hit — not due to weather, political tensions or pandemics, but because of a warning made decades ago by a manga artist.

Ryo Tatsuki, often called the 'Japanese Baba Vanga', has stirred anxiety with a prediction from her 1999 book The Future I Saw, pointing to a major disaster in July 2025. In the book's revised 2021 edition, Tatsuki described a devastating undersea rupture near Japan, triggering tsunamis three times as large as 2011, and even mentioned 'boiling seas' — which some have interpreted as a volcanic eruption.

Although there is no scientific confirmation of such a threat, many are spooked enough to cancel or postpone travel plans. The result? A significant drop in tourism, especially from nearby countries.

Bookings to Japan Dropped by 50 Percent

Travel agencies in Hong Kong are reporting a steep decline in holiday bookings to Japan, particularly around the Easter period.

Speaking to CNN, CN Yuen, managing director of the Hong Kong travel firm WWPKG, said, 'Bookings to Japan dropped by 50 percent over the Easter break—a figure that's expected to drop even further over the next couple of months.'

It's not just a passing dip. Agencies report growing reluctance among clients to plan trips this summer, with the ominous prediction circulating widely on social media. Japan remains one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, and the timing of this prediction, paired with ongoing tremors, has proven enough to unnerve many.

Embassy Warnings Deepen the Unease

Adding more to the existing tension, the Chinese embassy in Tokyo issued a warning in April. According to the South China Morning Post, the advisory urged Chinese citizens living in or travelling to Japan to 'take extra precautions against natural disasters.'

Although the warning didn't specify any link to Tatsuki's prediction, the timing, combined with recent seismic activity, has amplified the sense of unease.

Japan's Meteorological Agency has not issued any July-specific alerts, but officials are aware of the public's growing concern. For now, authorities maintain that there is no credible data pointing to an imminent disaster.

Online Buzz Over Vanga Predictions

Meanwhile, on the internet, many have caught the vanga fever. The hashtag #July2025Prediction is trending on platforms like Weibo and X (formerly Twitter), with users debating the credibility of Tatsuki's claims.

While some dismiss the talk as 'apocalyptic nonsense,' others are openly sharing evacuation plans, first aid kit checklists, and travel alternatives for July and August. Earthquake preparedness forums have seen spikes in new members, many of whom cite Tatsuki's forecast as their reason for joining.

A New Baba Vanga?

Ryo Tatsuki is now being widely compared to Baba Vanga, the late blind Bulgarian mystic whose predictions allegedly included events like the 9/11 attacks and the death of Princess Diana.

Though Tatsuki is a manga artist, not a self-proclaimed clairvoyant, her prior forecasts — including the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the 2011 tsunami, and even the death of Freddie Mercury — have led many to treat her work with surprising seriousness.

Still, authorities urge caution. But it should be noted that Tatsuki's claims have no scientific basis, and no official warning has been issued regarding July. However, the question for many isn't whether the disaster will happen — it's whether it's worth gambling a holiday on the chance that it might.

A Nation Caught Between Caution and Curiosity

Japan's tourism sector, which had only just begun to recover post-pandemic, now faces a fresh hurdle. Whether or not the disaster comes to pass, the damage to Japan's travel sector is already being felt.

What was shaping up to be a strong recovery year for tourism has hit an unexpected roadblock — one based not on hard data, but a decades-old prediction.Still, with July fast approaching and the rumours gaining traction, Japan's travel industry is holding its breath — and hoping the future isn't as grim as foretold.