Demise of Japan’s Oracle Octopus Catches British Media Attention

July 4, 2018

London- Killing and selling of an octopus that correctly predicted Japan's all FIFA World Cup group match results have drawn media attention in Britain.

The "psychic" octopus, caught in Hokkaido, northern Japan, "has been killed and turned into sashimi," public broadcaster BBC reported on Tuesday.

The octopus, named Rabio, predicted the Samurai Blue's surprising victory against Colombia, draw with Senegal and defeat to Poland in the group stage.

The invertebrate was sent to market before Japan's 1-0 loss to Poland on Thursday, which enabled the Asian country to barely reach the knockout round.

"He had, of course, predicted the loss--but not own his demise," BBC said, adding that the fisherman who caught the octopus "felt he'd make more money selling it for food than from its clairvoyance."

In its coverage of the killing of the 70-centimeter-long creature, The Guardian cited a Twitter user's speculation that Rabio's "murder" had condemned Japan to their "heartbreaking last-gasp defeat against Belgium on Monday, denying them a place in the quarterfinals."

BBC said that unlike Rabio a German octopus that correctly predicted six World Cup games in 2010 "passed peacefully in his aquarium." Jiji Press