Japan’s government has warned against unfounded predictions of a major earthquake disaster, citing its scientific knowledge that it is impossible to predict the exact time, place, or scale of an earthquake.
After a series of earthquakes in Kagoshima prefecture, including a 5.4-magnitude quake on Saturday, authorities have urged residents not to believe rumors and comic book predictions of a catastrophic event. The Japan Meteorological Agency’s director Ayataka Ebita stated that the agency is based on scientific evidence and cannot predict earthquakes.
The recent earthquake has fueled rumors about a manga prediction, which has caused some travelers from Hong Kong to avoid visiting Japan in May. However, the artist behind the manga denied being a prophet. Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas, accounting for about one-fifth of global earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/05/asia/japan-earthquake-warnings-intl