Taipei: Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun on Friday donated NT$1 million (US$30,850) from her personal account to Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture to support relief and reconstruction efforts following Tuesday's devastating earthquake. In a Facebook post, Cheng said she visited the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association's Taipei office to express the KMT's condolences over the disaster and made the donation.
According to Focus Taiwan, Cheng emphasized Taiwan's empathy towards the situation due to its own history of earthquakes and highlighted the importance of international assistance during such times. She expressed hope for strengthened cooperation between Taiwan and Japan on disaster prevention and emergency response efforts to enhance resilience against natural disasters.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association noted that its Taipei representative, Kazuyuki Katayama, accepted Cheng's letter of condolences and support. In return, he presented her with a letter expressing appreciation for her generous contribution.
Kumamoto prefectural authorities reported that the magnitude 7.1 earthquake had resulted in 34 fatalities as of Friday morning, with one additional death under investigation as potentially disaster-related.