Taiwan hands Japan $9.4 mil. in public donations for Kumamoto quake

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the country has donated more than NT$300 million ($9.4 million) to aid those impacted by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture. The funds were collected via a government-funded bank account established in August and were contributed by individuals, businesses, and organizations to assist in reconstruction efforts and support the livelihoods of earthquake victims.

During a donation ceremony in Taipei, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung expressed profound gratitude to all who contributed, highlighting the strong bonds of friendship between Taiwan and Japan that have proven their resilience during times of crisis. Lin emphasized that Taiwan and Japan have always stood by each other during major disasters, drawing parallels between their relationship and that of family members.

The minister recalled past instances of mutual assistance, such as after the 2011 quake-tsunami that struck northeastern Japan, the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, and recent earthquakes in eastern Taiwan. Lin further stated that Taiwan remains committed to strengthening cooperation with Japan in disaster preparedness, risk reduction, emergency response, and post-disaster recovery.

The ceremony was attended by Kazuyuki Katayama and Tomoaki Motoshima, who represented Japan and a Taiwan-based Kumamoto association, respectively. Motoshima expressed his thanks to Taiwan and encouraged Taiwanese people to visit Kumamoto to witness the ongoing reconstruction progress. He emphasized that the assistance from Taiwan has provided a tremendous source of light, bringing courage and hope to the people of Kumamoto as they embark on their recovery journey.