Fictional Comic Mirror of Illusions — "The Future I See" How It Sparks an Asian Tourism Crisis

Last year, a Japanese manga spread rapidly across social media like a virus, not only triggering public panic but also impacting the tourism markets in Hong Kong and Taiwan. “The Future I See” is a fictional work originally created by manga artist Ryuju Ryo based on a dream, but due to online dissemination and the influence of mystics, it evolved into a rumor storm that shook the industry. Behind this crisis reflects the collective dilemma we must face in the information age.

How Rumors of “The Future I See” Went from Manga to Reality

The storyline in the manga about a severe earthquake and tsunami occurring on July 5, 2025, was widely circulated online and quickly escalated into real social panic. The influence of a well-known feng shui master in Hong Kong further amplified the spread of the rumor, increasing public anxiety rather than alleviating it. According to Japanese media reports, this rumor spread so extensively in Hong Kong that it reached almost everyone, and then further propagated through social platforms to Taiwan, with an impact far beyond the original fictional work.

Many residents of Hong Kong and Taiwan changed their travel plans, opting to cancel, reschedule, or withdraw their trips to Japan. These seemingly personal choices accumulated to cause tangible impacts on the entire Asian tourism landscape. Greater Bay Area airlines announced adjustments to their flight schedules, significantly reducing direct flights between Sendai and Tokushima, illustrating that the influence of the rumor was no exaggeration. Airline representatives admitted that the decision was driven by travelers’ high trust in online information, and to avoid continued low passenger numbers, they had to make such sacrifices.

Online Information Spread, Public Confidence Erodes

What is even more thought-provoking is recent survey data released by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, revealing the deep root causes of this crisis. The survey indicated that nearly half of Japanese people believe the information they obtain from the internet or other channels is “accurate or possibly accurate,” and about a quarter of them even forward these messages without verification. This data clearly shows that it’s not because the public is particularly gullible, but rather that society’s information defense system has experienced a collective failure.

In this rumor event, the true voices appeared weak. Ryuju Ryo himself issued a clarification statement to Japanese media after the incident, emphasizing that “The Future I See” is purely a fictional work based on dreams, and calling on the public not to over-interpret the manga content. Miyagi Prefecture Governor Murai Yoshihiro also stated directly that the rumors about disaster predictions are “very unscientific,” and explicitly pointed out that these rumors have caused actual damage to local tourism. However, even with official clarifications from the manga creator and local officials, it seems difficult to reverse the already formed collective belief among the public.

Lack of Media Literacy, a Breeding Ground for Rumors

From a human development perspective, our obsession with prophecy has a long history. When facing an uncertain future and natural disaster risks, people often seek comfort in predictions and divination, reflecting anxiety and helplessness about reality. Based on this psychological foundation, cultures such as feng shui, astrology, and mysticism have flourished, and the advent of the internet has greatly accelerated the dissemination of these messages.

The problem lies in fictional stories being mistaken for reality, which not only causes chaos in social order but can also lead to tangible losses in industries and economies. The “The Future I See” incident is a clear example—before a natural disaster even occurs, public panic has already set in, social confidence is weakened, and the international tourism landscape fluctuates. This crisis highlights the urgency of strengthening public “media and information literacy.” In an era of information explosion, improving individuals’ ability to discern online messages and learning to approach internet discourse cautiously has become an essential life skill for everyone.

From Doomsday Imagination to Scientific Disaster Prevention

History warns us that rumors and panic often cause greater social costs than the actual disasters. The most wise approach to natural disaster risks is not to indulge in apocalyptic predictions but to focus on scientific disaster prevention. Japan’s mature experience in earthquake preparedness, professional warning systems, and building standards are the truly reliable defenses.

“The Future I See” acts like a mirror that reveals the fragility of human hearts amid chaos and doomsday scenarios. In the face of a flood of true and false information, only by enhancing our information literacy can we avoid unnecessary panic and losses caused by rumors. The Asian tourism crisis triggered by a fictional manga should serve as a profound reflection on how we govern information society. Only through this can we find true peace of mind in an uncertain future.