Major earthquake hits Japan days before new Baba Vanga predicted date

It had a magnitude recording of 5.5

MailOnline reported of a major earthquake striking Japan yesterday (July 3), two days before manga artist Ryo Tatsuki claimed a natural disaster would unfold in her graphic novel 'The Future I Saw'.

A magnitude reading of 5.5 was confirmed by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, with the quake happening around 745 miles from Tokyo off the coast of the Tokara island belt.

It hit a depth of 12 miles at a seismic intensity of '6 lower' on the country's 1-7 scale, which indicates a strength that makes it 'difficult to remain standing'.

'The Future I Saw' was first published in 1999 before being re-released 22 years later, and its catastrophic content appears to have affected Japan's tourism.

Hong Kong's EGL Tours staff member Steve Huen, who spoke to Reuters, pointed towards the social media echo of Tatsuki's artwork as highly influential.

This manga depicted a dream of an enormous earthquake and tsunami hitting Japan and its neighbours in July 2025.

Huen said "the rumours have had a significant impact" and that his business enquiries have halved. He's needed to introduce discounts and earthquake insurance just to prevent "Japan-bound travel dropping to zero".

In response to the 'prophecy' hullabaloo, via a statement issued by her publisher Tatsuki has asked for no more emphasis on her coincidental predictions.

Instead, she's advised people to pay attention to expert analysis and insights.

There's no escaping the Baba Vanga comparisons, though, who was a Bulgarian mystic responsible for forecasting the death of Princess Diana amongst other things.

Incredibly, the first edition of 'The Future I Saw' warned that a natural disaster would occur in March 2011 - the very same month and year that the northeast of Japan felt the devastating force of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis that killed thousands.