A chilling prediction by Japanese manga artist Ryo Tatsuki, often referred to as the "New Baba Vanga," has resurfaced after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami waves across parts of Japan.
The Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed waves of up to 40 centimeters were observed at 16 coastal locations following the quake.
The disaster occurred just weeks after social media users recalled Tatsuki’s warning of a major event in July 2025. Initially recorded as an 8.7 by the US Geological Survey, the quake was later revised to 8.8 - making it the most powerful in the region since 1952.
What was the prediction?
This powerful natural disaster occurred just weeks after a prediction by Japanese manga artist and self-proclaimed clairvoyant Ryo Tatsuki gained widespread attention online. Often called the “New Baba Vanga of Japan,” Tatsuki wrote in her 1999 manga, 'The Future I Saw,' that the seas around southern Japan would “boil” on July 5, 2025.
Although no major earthquake struck exactly on that date, the recent 8.8-magnitude quake and ensuing tsunami have led many to wonder if her prophecy referred to the month as a whole rather than the specific day.
Reports indicate that numerous travel plans to Japan in July were canceled, largely driven by online discussions on Japanese social media under hashtags like #July5Disaster.
Tatsuki’s manga Watashi ga Mita Mirai (The Future I Saw) is renowned for its references to real-life events, including the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury, the COVID-19 pandemic, and notably, the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Netizens started discussing theories that loom around Baba Vanga's theory Many are wondering if the prediction was just off by a few weeks..
One user posted, “Ryo Tatsuki was right. July 2025."
Another user posted, "Not the exact date, but you have to respect Ryo Tatsuki."
According to Russia’s Geophysical Survey, the earthquake struck about 119 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of roughly 180,000 people.
Soon after, tsunami waves between 3 to 4 metres (10–13 feet) were recorded along parts of Russia’s Kamchatka coast.
Is Earthquake prediction possible?
Earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted. While scientists can identify high-risk zones based on fault lines and tectonic history, the precise timing and location of an earthquake remain unpredictable.
So, although Tatsuki’s July 5 prophecy attracted attention, experts emphasize it is purely coincidental. Seismologists agree that more advanced scientific research and technology are needed to even approach the ability to predict major earthquakes.
Whether coincidence or clairvoyance, Ryo Tatsuki’s prediction has reignited public interest in natural disaster forecasts - both scientific and speculative. However, the key lesson is the critical importance of prepareess, education, and early warning systems to safeguard lives during such catastrophic events.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency has strongly rejected the idea that earthquakes can be predicted with exact dates, times, or locations. In a statement to the Associated Press last month, the agency described such forecasts as “a hoax" and “disinformation."
Seismologists also explain that although some major earthquakes, like the 2011 disaster, were preceded by smaller tremors known as foreshocks, these are rare and are not reliable predictors.
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