《TAIPEI TIMES》 Japan thanks Lai for quake concern

Personnel of the Tainan Fire Bureau’s Special Search and Rescue Team prepare relief supplies yesterday. Photo: Tainan City Government Fire Bureau

KUMAMOTO RESPONSE: Taiwan’s major convenience store chains and PXPay Plus have partnered with a social welfare organization to launch a fundraising campaign

By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA Japan yesterday thanked President William Lai （賴清德） for his immediate and heart-warming message following the Kumamoto earthquake, saying that Taiwan has always been the first to extend a helping hand when the nation is hit by disaster.

Japan-Taiwan Exchange Foundation Representative Kazuyuki Katayama on social media thanked Lai and others for their concern, adding that Japan would announce ways to contribute to disaster relief once it is fully apprised of the situation.

Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at about 4:27pm on Tuesday, with buildings collapsing, fires erupting, roads damaged, power and water cut, and people trapped near the epicenter.

Aeon Mall Kumamoto experienced localized explosions and partially collapsed, with rescue efforts still ongoing.

Search and recovery efforts continued in the disaster zone yesterday.

Lai on Tuesday evening wrote in Japanese on X that Taiwan and Japan are “true friends” that help each other in times of disaster.

Taiwan is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to provide aid whenever necessary, he wrote.

Lai added that hopefully people in the disaster area were safe and out of harm’s way.

Japanese-language Web site 47 News shared the post on X, adding to about 12,000 other shares, while it had been liked about 80,000 times.

Many Japanese said that the message reminded them of Taiwan’s response following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, when the nation provided assistance and supplies.

“Taiwan is always the most reliable friend,” one reply to Lai’s post said.

“Hoping that both countries can continue to help each other,” another said.

Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang （李逸洋） on Tuesday evening said that the representative office’s Fukuoka branch had contacted local Taiwanese businesspeople, students and other compatriots to ensure their safety.

Premier Cho Jung-tai （卓榮泰） wrote on Facebook on Tuesday that Taiwanese visiting Kumamoto and nearby areas should be on high alert, take care of their safety and stay apprised of local government-issued disaster prevention information.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to closely monitor the situation, provide Taiwanese traveling or residing in Japan with any necessary assistance, and remain in close contact with the representative office, Cho said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung （林佳龍） on Tuesday said that Taiwan and Japan have long helped each other in disaster relief efforts, adding that his ministry is in close contact with the Japanese government to stay abreast of the latest developments.

The National Fire Agency said that it has alerted rescue teams to be on standby and they could be dispatched to Japan the moment the ministry receives notice from its Japanese counterpart that it needs aid.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s major convenience store chains, together with PXPay Plus — the e-payment platform operated by supermarket chain PX Mart — have partnered with Taiwan-based Christian social welfare organization The Mustard Seed Mission to launch a joint fundraising campaign for emergency relief and post-earthquake reconstruction.

The Mustard Seed Mission said it has already provided US$10,000 in emergency assistance and activated the first phase of its disaster response plan through its partner AAR Japan.

Initial relief efforts would focus on emergency supplies, mobile food distribution, psychosocial support, assistance for evacuation shelters and care for vulnerable groups, including children, elderly people and people with disabilities, it said.

Convenience store operators 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Hi-Life said donations would be accepted through Aug. 31.

Donations can be made through 7-Eleven’s OpenPoint app and ibon kiosks, while FamilyMart would collect contributions through its membership app and FamiPort kiosks.

Funds raised by FamilyMart would be coordinated by the Mustard Seed Mission and channeled through AAR Japan to support the first phase of relief efforts.

Hi-Life said donations collected through its roughly 1,800 stores nationwide would support emergency rescue operations, temporary shelter, psychological support and reconstruction.

PXPay Plus has launched dedicated donation sections on its app and the PX Pay app.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES