Tourists to Japan spooked after comic book predicts doomsday

Viral rumours of impending disaster stemming from a comic book prediction have taken the sheen off Japan‘s tourism boom, with some airlines cancelling flights from Hong Kong, where passenger numbers have plunged.

TOKYO — Viral rumours of impending disaster stemming from a comic book prediction have taken the sheen off Japan's tourism boom, with some airlines cancelling flights from Hong Kong, where passenger numbers have plunged.

Japan has seen record numbers of visitors this year, with April setting an all-time monthly high of 3.9 million travellers.

That dipped in May, however, with arrivals from Hong Kong — the superstitious Chinese-controlled city where the rumours have circulated widely — down 11% year-on-year, according to the latest data.

Steve Huen of Hong Kong-based travel agency EGL Tours blamed a flurry of social media predictions tied to a manga that depicts a dream of a massive earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan and neighbouring countries in July 2025.

“The rumours have had a significant impact,” said Huen, adding that his firm had seen its Japan-related business halve. Discounts and the introduction of earthquake insurance had “prevented Japan-bound travel from dropping to zero,” he added.