Secretary-General Fan Chen-kuo of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered 60 million Japanese yen (US$413,000) in earthquake aid to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Jan. 11 in Taipei City.
Fan presented the donation to Hiroyuki Okajima, deputy representative of the JTEA, along with condolences on the death and devastation resulting from the Noto Peninsula earthquake of Jan. 1. The secretary-general added that a dedicated account established by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Jan. 5 received over NT$250 million (US$8 million) within five days from concerned citizens of Taiwan.
JTEA’s chief representative Kazuyuki Katayama, who witnessed the handover, expressed gratitude to Taiwan for the timely assistance and reiterated that Taiwan is a genuine friend of Japan.
According to the MOFA, the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in Japan’s Ishikawa prefecture has resulted in a death toll of over 200 people, in addition to widespread damage to homes and roads in the area. The ministry voiced its earnest hope that those who have been affected by the disaster will be able to quickly rebuild and recover. (POC-E)
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