The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco opened a special account on March 15th for donations to the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. We are deeply grateful for the support and generosity of so many individuals and organizations.

Currently, the following amount has been collected through checks and account deposits: $1,784,569.30 (as of June 28, 2011)

These funds are being remitted to the Japanese Red Cross as they are received.

Learn more about making a donation through the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco

Read a message from the SF Consulate General of Japan

Arigato from the Japan Earthquake Victims

People from the Tohoku area of Japan expressed their thanks to all of the international aid that has helped them. We didn’t hear of lot of outcry from the people of Japan following this tragedy. This is well worth viewing. We have never heard of any country doing this – please watch this “Thank You” from Japan.

Thank you to the many people who attended our exhibition of the stone sculpture works of Ken Matsumoto from May 12 to June 30, 2011, Honoring the Resilient Spirit of the People of Japan

We co-hosted an artist talk and reception with Japan Society of Northern California on June 4th, with 50% of the proceeds going to the Japan Society of Northern California’s (JSNC) Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.

Sponsors included:

Silent auction, featuring a dinner package for 4 people at Manresa Restaurant (including wine), valued at $1200. Manresa chef David Kinch displays his artistic flair at the Michelin two-star restaurant in Los Gatos.

CONTACTING AND FINDING PEOPLE IN JAPAN

It’s important to not phone Japan so emergency calls can get through. Try to communicate as much as possible via Twitter, Skype, email, Facebook, Mixi, etc.

Google Person Finder
Google has launched its Person Finder for the Japan Earthquake. Users can input information about someone in the service or search it to see if any information is available about someone who might have been impacted by the tsunami. The resource currently has 57,000 records and growing.

NTT Docomo Safety Response
One of Japan’s mobile-phone providers is allowing users to input a loved one’s mobile phone number into a search to confirm the safety of that person.

KDDI Disaster Message Board
Similar to NTT Docomo’s service, the KDDI Disaster Message Board lets people place messages on its service to find out about a loved one’s condition. That loved one’s safety can then be confirmed via mobile phone or on a PC.

Softbank Message Board
Softbank’s Message Board mimics KDDI’s service, allowing users to post a message to loved ones, which can then be viewed on the person’s mobile phone. They can respond from that device to confirm they’re safe.

Japan Shelter Map
A Google Map has been created for around Tokyo, listing lodging places for people who have been affected by the tsunami to stay the night.