The Nippon Foundation Swiftly Sends Disaster Response Teams to Quake-hit Noto Peninsula, Starts Collecting Donations (1)

At around 4:15 p.m. on January 1, 2024, JST (Japan Standard Time), a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture and nearby areas in central Japan.

The death toll from the temblor, which toppled buildings, buckled roads and set off landslides and tsunami on the Sea of Japan coast, has topped 220 with 24 unaccounted-for as of January 14, making it Japan's deadliest earthquake since 2016.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and to all who were impacted by the earthquake.

In the morning of January 2, The Nippon Foundation dispatched a disaster response team to the quake-hit area by land. The following day, the team leader Mr. Tsukasa Kurosawa reached the towns of Anamizu and Noto on　the south coast of the peninsula and was briefed by officials of the local municipalities on what those affected in the hard-hit areas needed.

His team was joined by another rescue group from the foundation as well as by more than 10 NGOs and volunteer organizations. The foundation has supported them financially based on their track record in disaster response, including their ability to operate heavy equipment, so that they can act quickly with us in the event of an emergency, such as a major disaster like this.

They are now actively engaged in cleanup and relief activities in freezing temperatures in the cities of Suzu and Wajima as well on the northern tip of the peninsula and Nanao in the central part of the prefecture.

Immediately after the New Year’s Day temblor struck, The Nippon Foundation began accepting donations from the general public to its Special Fund for Disaster Preparedness to support people in the quake-hit areas, as well as NGOs and volunteer organizations helping them.

Donations received from January 1 to March 31, 2024, (planned) will be used as a special fund to provide immediate emergency relief to disaster areas on the Noto Peninsula.

With administrative or other indirect costs being borne by us, the entire amount of all donations received will be used to support the clean-up and recovery efforts in these areas.

The Nippon Foundation is also receiving funds donated via internet through Japanese web services provider Yahoo! Japan and flea market app operator Mercari Inc.

As of January 15, the foundation has received a total of 284,114,657 yen (about $1,958,000) from 93,683 donors－165,356,484 yen (about $ 1,139,000) from 6,848 donors to its Special Fund for Disaster Preparedness and 118,758,173 yen (about $818,000) from 86,835 donors through Yahoo! Japan and Mercari.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the generous donations for the people in need of help in Ishikawa Prefecture.

(To be continued)