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Chinese embassy urges citizens in Japan to be careful amid rumors of summer earthquake

Published: 28 Apr. 2025, 18:15

A notice uploaded on the Chinese embassy in Japan's website on April 14, warning Chinese citizens to take caution when traveling, studying or buying real estate in Japan [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Chinese Embassy in Japan has warned its citizens residing in the country to think twice about buying real estate in Japan after rumors that a major earthquake could take place this summer.

The embassy also advised Chinese nationals to be careful when considering travel or studying abroad in Japan.

The Chinese Embassy posted a notice titled “Precautions Against Earthquake Damage” on its website on April 14 in Chinese, according to Japanese news outlet Sankei Shimbun on Monday.

The notice cited projections from an expert review panel under Japan’s Cabinet Office and outlined safety measures for Chinese citizens.

The Cabinet Office panel on March 31 proposed a scenario in which a magnitude 9.0 earthquake could strike along the Nankai Trough off the coast of Hyuganada near Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu. Under this assumption, the panel estimated that 298,000 people would die and that economic damage could reach as high as 292.3 trillion yen ($2 trillion).

The Nankai Trough is a deep underwater trench stretching from off the coast of Shizuoka Prefecture, west of the Tokyo metropolitan area, through the southern coast of Shikoku to the eastern coast of Kyushu. This region has historically experienced major earthquakes every 100 to 150 years. The Japanese government has announced plans to revise its basic disaster management strategies based on the new estimates.

A burnt-down residential and commercial area site following an earthquake is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, on Jan. 2, 2024. [KYODO NEWS/REUTERS/YONHAP]

A house is seen collapsed in Oosaki town, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan on Aug. 9, 2024, following a powerful earthquake. [KYODO NEWS/AP/YONHAP]

Based on these findings, the Chinese Embassy advised its nationals to heighten their disaster preparedness by stockpiling appropriate supplies, such as drinking water, food and emergency kits. It urged them to closely monitor disaster information through television, the internet and radio, and to evacuate as quickly as possible after a disaster strikes.

The embassy also recommended that Chinese residents confirm the locations of nearby evacuation centers in advance and follow instructions issued by local governments to move promptly to safe locations. In addition, it encouraged citizens living abroad to register with services, using the Chinese consular affairs application so they could request assistance more quickly in the event of an emergency.

Finally, it advised that, when planning travel to Japan, studying abroad or purchasing property, citizens should carefully assess risks and difficulties and make careful decisions.

The Sankei Shimbun noted that this advisory from the Chinese Embassy is particularly noteworthy, as the number of Chinese nationals purchasing land in Japan has been increasing.

Bystanders pray on March 11 in Tokyo as Japan marks the 14th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that devastated the northeastern coast. [AP/YONHAP]

The newspaper also reported that rumors of a major earthquake occurring in July, fueled by predictions from a Hong Kong feng shui master and a Japanese manga, have led to a decline in the number of travelers visiting Japan from Hong Kong. Some airlines have even decided to reduce their flights to Japan as a result.

In response to the spread of these rumors, Japan’s Cabinet Office stated on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on April 24 that it is currently scientifically impossible to predict the specific time and location of an earthquake.

The Japanese government believes that rumors about an imminent earthquake are spreading among Hong Kong residents through social media. One of the sources fueling the speculation is "The Future I Saw: Complete Edition," a manga by Ryo Tatsuki published in 2021, which includes a prediction that a major catastrophe will occur in July 2025. According to Amazon Japan, the manga has sold more than 900,000 copies.

The Japanese government addressed these nonscientific earthquake predictions because it concluded that the rumors were having a noticeable impact on demand for travel to Japan.

As fears of a major earthquake spread, Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Airlines announced plans to reduce the number of flights between Hong Kong and the Japanese cities of Sendai and Tokushima starting in mid-May.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]