Japan's Earthquake Rumors: Science vs. Speculation

Japan is no stranger to earthquakes, but recent tremors have sparked quite a stir. Over 1, 000 quakes have shaken the Kagoshima prefecture in just two weeks. The strongest so far was a 5. 5-magnitude quake near Kyushu island. This has led to some people getting worried and even evacuating. Rumors are flying around, thanks to a comic book from 1999. It's been re-released and some people think it predicts a big disaster this month. The government is asking everyone to stay calm and not believe these rumors. They say science can't predict exactly when or where a big quake will hit. The artist behind the comic has spoken up too. She says she's not a prophet and her work isn't a prediction. Even so, some travelers, especially from Hong Kong, are avoiding Japan. This is a shame because Japan has been seeing record numbers of visitors lately. Japan sits on a lot of fault lines, so quakes are common. In fact, it's home to about one-fifth of the world's big quakes. The government is doing its best to keep everyone informed and safe. They're asking people to rely on scientific facts, not rumors.