The Tokara Islands in southern Japan have experienced a wave of more than 1,200 earthquakes since late June, with some reports counting up to 1,600 tremors.
The unusual seismic swarm has triggered speculation online, fuelled in part by a reissued manga that appears to predict a devastating earthquake and tsunami in early July 2025. The timing has caused concern among the public, although experts insist there is no scientific basis for forecasting such events with precision.
Unprecedented Seismic Swarm in the Tokara Islands
Between 21 June and 4 July, Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) recorded more than 1,000 earthquakes in the Tokara Islands. Other monitoring bodies reported as many as 1,600, including several with magnitudes above 5.5 and shaking intensity reaching level 6 on Japan's seismic scale. This marks the strongest swarm in the region since 1995.
Residents on islands such as Akuseki have described sleepless nights, persistent aftershocks and mysterious ocean sounds that often precede tremors. No major injuries or tsunami have been reported, but local authorities have warned of potential landslides and advised communities to prepare for evacuation.
Manga Predictions Meet Real-World Tremors
Public anxiety has been heightened by renewed attention to The Future I Saw, a 1999 manga by Ryo Tatsuki that was reprinted in 2021. In the comic, Tatsuki appears to predict a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami striking Japan on 5 July 2025. Her previous writings were noted for seemingly anticipating the 2011 Tohoku disaster, earning her comparisons to figures like Baba Vanga.
With the Tokara earthquakes aligning closely with the date in question, many on social media have drawn connections. Tatsuki publishers, according to The Sun, has since released a statement denying prophetic claims and insisting her work was fictional.
ryo tatsuki - manga artist, notable predictions via her work "the future i saw"
— jewish hotdog (@doctahotdog) July 6, 2025
* freddie mercury's death (1991)
* hanshin earthquake (1995)
* sakhalin earthquake (1995)
* princess diana's death (1997)
* september 11th (2001)
* east japan tsunami (2011)
* pandemic (2020) https://t.co/J50sKiUt2j
Japan is still having earthquakes but not the dooms day type that the manga artist predicted 100 Km N of Tatsugo Japan 4.7 magnitude with 10 km Depth#earthquake #Japan pic.twitter.com/fw4AD8Xrs4
— MicDrop🎙️ (@Micdrop12) July 8, 2025
Scientific Consensus: Predictions Are Impossible
Seismologists stress that no reliable method exists for predicting earthquakes to the day or week. The JMA has labelled such date-specific forecasts as false and has urged the public to rely on official information rather than viral rumours.
The current swarm is consistent with known tectonic patterns. The Tokara Islands lie along the boundary where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate, an area prone to regular seismic activity. Experts acknowledge that Japan faces a long-term risk of a 'megaquake', particularly along the Nankai Trough, but the timing is impossible to determine and typically assessed across decades.
Tourism Impact and Public Fear
Tourism in the Tokara region and surrounding prefectures has taken a hit, especially from international travellers. Bookings from Hong Kong have reportedly dropped by 50 per cent, prompting some airlines to cut services. Some accommodation providers in the Tokaras have suspended operations or repurposed guest houses as emergency shelters, according to the BBC.
Officials stress that panic is unnecessary and counterproductive. Instead, they encourage measured preparation and public education about earthquake safety.
The recent seismic activity in the Tokara Islands has led to a wave of concern across Japan, particularly in light of a coincidental manga reference to a catastrophic event on 5 July. Yet scientists remain unequivocal that earthquakes cannot be predicted to exact dates, and the current tremors fall within expected tectonic behaviour. As anxiety builds, authorities are calling for resilience grounded in science rather than speculation.
