Is it safe to travel to Japan? Korean travelers worry amid July quake rumors.

Home > Business > Industry

Is it safe to travel to Japan? Korean travelers worry amid July quake rumors.

Published: 28 Jun. 2025, 15:26 Updated: 29 Jun. 2025, 14:04

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Passengers bound for Japan wait in line for check-in at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport on Nov. 19, 2024. [NEWS1]

Some Koreans are reconsidering their travel plans to Japan this summer amid viral speculation that a major earthquake could strike the country on July 5.

An office worker living in the country, who had been planning a trip to Japan, said he is now hesitant after seeing rumors on social media about an impending disaster, which originates from the Japanese comic book “The Future I Saw” (1999).

“It’s peak travel season and flight tickets have dropped below 100,000 won [$73], so I’d like to go,” the traveler said. “But my family and friends are urging me not to because of the possibility of a major earthquake.”

Rumors of a large-scale earthquake next month have led to rising anxiety. Online platforms have seen an uptick in posts asking whether trips to Japan should be canceled, along with information about evacuation shelters and emergency preparedness.

Clusters of quakes stir fear

Concerns have intensified following a series of minor earthquakes and sightings of deep-sea fish, both of which some believe signal a looming disaster.

In the Tokara Islands near Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan, clusters of small quakes have been occurring since last week. Known as “earthquake swarms,” these involve multiple tremors in a short period within a localized area.

A total of 25 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 or higher (marked in yellow) occurred near Japan’s Tokara Islands between June 21 and 27. [U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY]

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency and the U.S. Geological Survey, nearly 500 earthquakes with a magnitude of 1 or higher occurred in the area between June 21 and 27. Of those, 25 were magnitude 4 or above, with at least one exceeding magnitude 5.

Adding to the alarm, sightings of the oarfish — a deep-sea creature associated with earthquake superstitions — have been reported off the coast of Busan. A 1.7-meter-long (5.57-foot-long) oarfish was caught in the Korea Strait on June 23, marking the fifth such sighting this year. Because oarfish typically inhabit depths of between 400 and 500 meters, they are rarely seen on the surface. Among fishermen and anglers, they can only be caught with “permission of the Dragon King,” a superstition rooted in folklore. Some have interpreted their appearance as another sign of an impending seismic event in Japan.

Hoax or truth?

The “July megaquake theory” gained traction from a comic drawn by Japanese artist Ryo Tatsuki, who previously gained attention for allegedly predicting the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. In one of her stories, she wrote that “a real catastrophe” would hit Japan in July 2025.

To examine the credibility of these claims, the JoongAng Ilbo spoke with Hong Tae-kyung, a professor of earth system science at Yonsei University.

Many people are concerned about traveling to Japan because of the July megaquake rumor. Is it really dangerous?

People around me are also asking whether it’s safe to travel to Japan. Scientifically speaking, there’s no doubt that the seismic risk is high. The region is always in a state of potential danger until a major earthquake occurs, so preparedness is essential. However, we cannot say with certainty that it will happen in July.

Are swarm quakes a warning sign?

Even in tectonically active regions, it is unusual to see more than 20 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher in the same area over just three days. That indicates a significant buildup of stress. This level of activity could further weaken fault lines and create conditions that make a major earthquake more likely.

Are deep-sea fish considered signs of impending seismic activity?

When stress accumulates along fault zones, it can generate electric fields that cause unusual animal behavior — such as deep-sea fish rising to the surface or toads suddenly moving downhill in large numbers. However, there are many other possible reasons that deep-sea fish might surface, so their appearance cannot be definitively interpreted as a sign of an impending earthquake.

Within Japan, officials are also sounding alarms about the possibility of a massive Nankai Trough earthquake. Historically, the Nankai region — located off Japan’s southern coast — has experienced magnitude 8 to 9 earthquakes every 100 to 150 years. The last major event occurred in the 1940s.

In a report released this March, the Japanese government said there is an 80 percent chance of a Nankai earthquake within the next 30 years. It estimated that such an event could result in as many as 298,000 deaths and widespread damage.

Hong emphasized that while the Nankai earthquake is likely to occur in the future, the exact timing remains unknown. “That’s why it’s important to be prepared now — not later,” he said.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY CHON KWON-PIL [[email protected]]