Hong Kong: Unfounded internet rumors that a massive earthquake is imminent in Japan are hurting travel agencies and airlines, who report a decline in demand from anxious Hong Kong residents.
In 2024, Hong Kong residents traveled to Japan around 2.7 million times.
Although it is impossible to predict with precision when earthquakes may occur, inhabitants of the city have been inundated with terrifying predictions.
A Japanese manga comic that was released in 2021 and that, according to the author’s dream, foretells a significant natural disaster in July 2025 is cited in some of the fraudulent posts.
While a Facebook group that purports to forecast disasters in Japan has more than a quarter of a million members, mostly from Hong Kong and Taiwan, other posts provide alternative dates.
