Taiwan yesterday thanked Japan for donating US$1 million to assist the nation’s reconstruction work after the most powerful earthquake in Taiwan in 25 years struck on Wednesday.
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoko Kamikawa announced the donation at a regular news briefing yesterday.
“Japan and Taiwan have always been important friends, supporting each other whenever they face difficulties, including the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
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After a devastating earthquake hit Japan’s Noto Peninsula in January, Taiwan provided “great, heartwarming support,” for which Japan is “truly grateful,” she said.
Tokyo also pledged to “actively provide necessary support” according to Taiwan’s needs and wished it a swift recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas, she said.
In Taipei, Presidential Office spokesperson Olivia Lin (林聿禪) expressed sincere gratitude to the Japanese government and society for their care and assistance.
In addition to the messages of concern from Japanese political figures, many Japanese local governments and businesses donated on their own initiative, which fully demonstrated the precious friendship between Taiwan and Japan, she said in a statement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also thanked Japan for the assistance, adding that the donations would be given to domestic authorities for coordination and reconstruction.
Several Japanese local governments are also raising funds for Taiwan, including the prefectures of Kagoshima, Ehime, Yamagata, Yamanashi, Kumamoto and Fukuoka; the cities of Matsuyama, Kitakyushu, Omuta, Kurume, Takasaki, Morioka, Kasama, Himi, Ofunato, Yokosuka and Fukushima; the towns of Yonaguni, Tatsugo and Minamisanriku; and Tokyo’s Suginami area, local media reported.
Many Japanese supported the effort, saying that this was an opportunity for them to repay Taiwanese for their assistance after the earthquake in the Noto Peninsula earlier this year and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
In the private sector, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, Mizuho Financial Group Inc and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc, along with entertainment company LDH JAPAN, each donated ￥10 million (US$66,061) in earthquake relief.
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc is collecting donations from the employees at all its subsidiaries and the company would match the total amount raised to help quake-affected areas, TV Asahi reported.
Japan’s LY Corp, an integrated company of Line Corp and Yahoo! Japan, had raised more than ￥110.9 million for Taiwan’s earthquake relief as of 10pm last night.
The Japanese Red Cross Society yesterday morning began accepting donations, which could be made by transferring to the organization’s dedicated bank accounts; using credit cards, Amazon Pay or Pay-easy; or at convenience stores until June 28, Fuji News Network reported.
The donations would be used for disaster relief and reconstruction, as well as disaster prevention and mitigation projects conducted by the organization, it said.
Convenience stores in Japan began raising funds for Taiwan yesterday — 7-Eleven is to accept donations until April 21, while FamilyMart and Lawson would accept donations until April 18.
Skylark Holdings, which operates Gusto and Bamiyan restaurants in Japan, began collecting donations at its approximately 2,700 restaurants starting on Thursday, Fuji News Network said.
Japanese band King Gnu yesterday announced that their concerts today and tomorrow at the Taipei Music Center would be held as scheduled, and the proceeds of the two concerts would be donated to earthquake relief.
The Yomiuri Giants baseball club donated ￥10 million and is accepting donations at games from yesterday to tomorrow.
The xlub also plans to hold charity sales and charity auctions of baseball shirts signed by its players, the details of which are to be announced at a later date, the team’s Web site said.
Players of Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball Club, including Taiwan’s Yang Dai-kang (陽岱鋼), are holding fundraising events after their home games from yesterday to tomorrow.
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