Over 1,000 quakes rock Japan, fueling fears over a July 5 earthquake prediction from a viral manga. Officials deny scientific basis, urge calm.

Panic is spreading across Japan as more than 1,000 earthquakes have rattled the country in just two weeks, fueling viral claims that the infamous July 5 “megaquake” prophecy from a popular manga series is coming true.

Japan is now a topic of discussion worldwide due to a grim prediction by manga artist Ryo Tatsuki. The Japanese graphic novel artist and psychic predicted a great disaster for the East Asian country on July 15. In her best-selling comic, The Future I Saw, she predicted that a mega earthquake would strike Japan in July.