Taipei: Taiwan on Thursday handed Japan more than NT$300 million (US$9.4 million) in public donations to help rebuild communities affected by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in late July. Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung presented the funds to Kazuyuki Katayama, head of the Taipei Office of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, during a ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) headquarters in Taipei.
According to Focus Taiwan, the July 28 earthquake killed 38 people and damaged nearly 43,000 homes. On Aug. 1, MOFA commissioned the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) to open and administer a public donation account, marking the first time the ministry had asked the organization to run a public disaster-relief fundraiser. The account raised more than NT$300 million, equivalent to over 1.4 billion yen, within a month, with the entire amount to be used for recovery and reconstruction, Lin said.
"Kumamoto's safety is a shared concern for Taiwan and Japan," Lin noted, emphasizing that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and its supply chain have established operations in the area, which has attracted more Taiwanese to the prefecture to work and live. Lin expressed gratitude to businesses, civic groups, and Taiwanese communities overseas for their contributions, highlighting the strong bonds between Taiwan and Japan.
Katayama thanked Taiwan's government and people for the donations, affirming the close friendship between Taiwan and Japan. Tomoaki Motojima, who heads a Taiwan-based association representing people from Kumamoto, also expressed gratitude to Taiwanese donors and discussed the earthquake's impact and the necessary reconstruction efforts.
Lin highlighted the history of mutual assistance between Taiwan and Japan following major disasters, such as Taiwan's 1999 Jiji earthquake, Japan's 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, and the upcoming 2025 Hualien earthquake. He emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation on disaster prevention, mitigation, relief, and post-disaster reconstruction due to the frequent occurrence of earthquakes and typhoons in both regions.
Previously, Taiwan's government donated NT$5 million for disaster relief, with President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, and Premier Cho Jung-tai each contributing NT$200,000 personally. TSMC, operating a plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto, also pledged 250 million yen for reconstruction efforts.