Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The pull was payback. Memories run deep of Chinese social-media posts calling Japan's earthquakes and floods "divine punishment," so a post claiming that typhoons were converging on mainland China landed as a tit-for-tat, and the sudden death of a streamer who had smashed a Kannon statue while boasting "there's no such thing as curses" drew an occult kind of satisfaction.

Both claims, though, come with important caveats. Japan's Meteorological Agency lists only up to Typhoon No. 17 for 2026 as of August 22, so a "No. 18, 19, 20 all heading for China" lineup does not belong to this year — it appears to recycle a route forecast from September 2025, and a post that omits the date is misleading. On the streamer, the statue was smashed on camera and the streamer died at 24 after a traffic accident, but there is no basis linking the crash to the statue, and the family has denied any connection — so "curse" and "karma" are unverified readings. Some commenters said as much, noting that the Communist officials who smashed Buddhist statues during the Cultural Revolution are perfectly fine.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Tit-for-tat "divine punishment" — "Chinese people used to say typhoons were divine punishment," invoking past barbs.
  • Occult satisfaction, and restraint — "Buddha's punishment has arrived" alongside "may Taiwan be safe" and a wariness about cheering disasters.
  • Skeptics on the karma logic — "The officials who smashed statues in the Cultural Revolution are perfectly fine," puncturing the curse narrative.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

Three typhoons said to be nearing mainland China

A "typhoons all heading for China" post drew tit-for-tat "divine punishment" jokes referencing past China–Japan barbs.

Sources: tenki.jp, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Chinese people used to say stuff like 'typhoons are divine punishment,' didn't they."
  • "No — the Kumamoto earthquake."
  • "They said the Great Hanshin earthquake was divine punishment — that's why Kobe, written with the 'gate of the gods,' was the one chosen, supposedly."
  • "Not typhoons so much — the recent Kumamoto earthquake and the torrential rain in Chiba, those were the ones they called divine punishment on their boards over there."
  • "May Taiwan be safe."
  • "China really is loved by typhoons."
  • "These three typhoons are going to merge into one giant typhoon."
  • "I thought it was an android invasion lol. According to Chinese people, natural disasters are divine punishment, so surely they'll pass over great China without any damage."

The death of the streamer who smashed a Kannon statue

The sudden death of a streamer who had smashed a Kannon statue spread as "karma," though skeptics doubted the connection.

Sources: SWITCH NEWS, 2ch

Comments:

  • "No curse befalls those who leave the gods and Buddhas alone."
  • "The explanation that lands: someone who'd do that was bound to make a reckless, fatal mistake sooner or later."
  • "Cause and effect — it's a teaching, a warning, in Buddhism."
  • "If they got dragged into it, maybe a curse; but if it was self-inflicted, they knew their own temperament when they said it. I ride too fast on bikes myself, so even though I could afford above 250cc I bought a minivan instead — I'd definitely die on a Hayabusa."
  • "Kannon is too strong — I'll worship her for the rest of my life."
  • "The Communist Party officials who smashed Buddhist statues all over during the Cultural Revolution are perfectly fine, aren't they."
  • "Buddha's punishment has arriiiived ━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━!!"
  • "In China, occult rumors are subject to crackdown, you know."