An eerie disease is spreading across central Africa. It is a disease of unknown cause called &#8220;Disease X&#8221; that broke out in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the country&#8217;s Ministry of Health, the disease is considered &#8220;severe malaria,&#8221; and in November 2012, some 380 people were infected with the disease and more than 70 died.
 In November 2012, about 380 people were infected with malaria, and more than 70 died. There is a danger that Disease X could spread to Japan as well.
 Masahiro Kami, former professor at the Institute of Medical Science of the University of Tokyo and chairman of the Institute of Medical Governance, sounded the alarm. Mr. Kami continues.
<h2> Pandemic of a Mysterious Infectious Disease in the Congo</h2>
<figure id="attachment_407249" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-407249" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="b00644df"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/e9ec674017b3259cf8fdc0b5ebc86bd8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-407249" class="wp-caption-text"> In December 2012, the Congolese Minister of Health held an emergency press conference and reported that &#8220;Disease X&#8221; was spreading in the country. He appealed to all countries for assistance.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_407250" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-407250" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="38d2c945"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/34b3807feff3a0c1f6f653721550caa8.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-407250" class="wp-caption-text"> In the Congo, infectious diseases such as Ebola have spread frequently, and many people have lost their lives so far.</figcaption></figure>
 It is probably an infectious disease. Considering the speed of the spread, it is probably transmitted from person to person rather than through monkeys or birds. If an asymptomatic infected person enters the country during the incubation period, there is no way to prevent it. It will spread throughout Japan in no time. Since the cause of the disease is unknown, we know nothing about effective treatments or medications at this time. There is a fear that Japan could be plunged into a panic.
 Many cases have been reported in which people contracting Disease X suffer from high fever, headache, coughing, anemia, vomiting, and even death.
 Although the strength of infection and fatality rate are unknown, it has the potential to cause a pandemic. It may surpass the new coronavirus in its virulence,&#8221; said Ue.
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 Diseases of unknown origin are not the only threats that could strike Japan in 2025; a magnitude 9 Nankai Trough earthquake, which is said to have a 70-80% probability of occurring within 30 years, is also becoming a growing threat. Yoshiaki Kawata, a specially appointed professor at Kansai University who specializes in natural disasters, says, &#8220;If an earthquake were to occur within 30 years, it would be a major disaster.
 The probability of an earthquake occurring within 30 years naturally increases with the passage of time. The Nankai Trough earthquake is already in a state where it could happen at any time.
 According to government estimates, the maximum death toll from a Nankai Trough earthquake would be 320,000.
 The damage will be much greater. The number of disaster-related deaths is expected to be much higher than expected, including the deaths of elderly people living alone in the disaster area who will not be able to receive support. The risks for the elderly do not stop there. In the event of a Nankai Trough earthquake, a huge tsunami will strike at a speed of several tens of kilometers per hour. Moreover, they will come crashing in several times within a period of about six hours, with intervals of about 50 minutes. It will be very difficult for the elderly to evacuate to higher ground within a few minutes,&#8221; Kawata said.
 In 2012, a major earthquake measuring over M7 hit the Noto Peninsula early in the New Year. Kawata continues.
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 Even in the Noto region, which has a population of 170,000, nearly 500 people died. There are active faults all over Japan. Large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka could be hit by a major earthquake like the one that hit the Noto Peninsula at any time. The damage would be 100 times greater than on the Noto Peninsula.
 Abnormal weather caused by global warming is also likely to intensify. Professor Yoshihiro Tachibana of the Weather and Climate Dynamics Laboratory at Mie University explains.
 It is quite possible that temperatures exceeding 40°C will occur frequently. In Japan, about 1,000 people a year die from heat stroke and other causes, and that number is expected to rise even higher.
 The sea water temperature will also rise, generating large amounts of water vapor, which will cause torrential rains in summer and heavy snowfalls in winter as temperatures drop below 0°C. &#8220;Powerful typhoons are expected to hit the archipelago.
 There is a possibility that a powerful giant typhoon could make landfall in Hokkaido or Tohoku. Normally, typhoons move with the prevailing westerly winds. But recently the westerly winds have been meandering and far north of Japan. A stray typhoon may move at a sluggish pace and cause more damage in northern Japan, where few countermeasures have been taken,&#8221; Tachibana said.
 The earth is facing a series of unprecedented situations.&#8217; Japan is likely to suffer the full brunt of the damage in 2013.
<h3> Huge typhoons will make landfall in Hokkaido and Tohoku!</h3>
<figure id="attachment_407251" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-407251" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4b5bd3f9"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/72d12c142021ee2bcda92a8524730307.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-407251" class="wp-caption-text"> Since the &#8217;10s, heavy rains have caused widespread damage throughout Japan. The photo shows Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (&#8217;18).&#8217; 25 years of giant typhoons and torrential rains</figcaption></figure>
<h3> Snow Bombs&#8221; Strike</h3>
<figure id="attachment_407252" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-407252" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3fced0cb"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/ae610b95d403fadc654001632bd1446c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-407252" class="wp-caption-text"> Global warming threatens to bring a series of heavy snowstorms, known as &#8220;snow bombs,&#8221; to Japan.</figcaption></figure>
From the January 3 , 10 , and 17 , 2025 issue of FRIDAY

 Kyodo News AP/Afro

 An eerie disease is spreading in central Africa. A disease of unknown cause called "Disease X" has broken out in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Experts say that this is not just a matter of concern for Japan. Disease X" could spread to Japan as well...

Disease X, huge earthquakes, and extreme weather events to hit the Japanese archipelago in 2025

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