How To Help Japan Recover From A Terrible Earthquake

How To Help Japan Recover From A Devastating Earthquake

On Friday afternoon, March 11th, the largest earthquake in Japan's history hit with a magnitude of 8.9.  The devastation of the tsunami is unbelievable and my heart goes out to the victims and family members of this tragedy, which is still ongoing. This post discusses how to help Japan. After all, this is Financial Samurai.

I'm sure many of us would love to do something, anything to help our brothers and sisters out in Japan.  The best and quickest way is to donate money to organizations who have the infrastructure and processes set up to help.

To donate money to the Japanese earthquake relief efforts, please visit the Red Cross's site here.  You can also donate money by mobile phone to the American Red Cross Relief by texting REDCROSS to 90999.  Every time you text REDCROSS, $10 will be debited to your phone bill and a donation will be made.  The death toll has breached 10,000.

I encourage those of us with blogs, Twitter accounts and any online presence to help spread the word. Japan needs all of our support right now!

Favorite Yakezie Writing Contest Essays

The second Yakezie Writing Contest ends on Wed, March 16th at 6pm.  The first, second, and third place essays will win $600, $300, and $100 that will go towards their education.  Here are my favorite three, and there are many more great one!  Have a read and vote!

  • #49: Memories – An enormously powerful story about a daughter who lost her father to alcohol.
  • #39: Peaches and Cream – A very difficult story about a girl who went through betrayal and then forgiveness.
  • #56: A Mixed Plate – A humorous post of growing up as a multi-cultural person and accepting people for who they are.

Stand strong Japan! If you want to know how to help Japan, keep spreading the word.

Related: Disaster Insurance: Necessary Or No?

17 thoughts on “How To Help Japan Recover From A Terrible Earthquake”

  1. The videos of the tsunami impact are simply horrific. Hard to imagine the grief that people are feeling there, as they would have lost family or friends while being rendered homeless. Whole communities were basically wiped out. After all that, to be dealing with a nuclear crisis, is awful. Let’s hope this doesn’t develop into anything close to Chernobyl.

    No thanks to living in a low-lying area directly prone to water disasters, be it a tsunami or hurricane.

    Thank you for sharing the Red Cross information.

  2. I would think the US could be the white knight here. Aside from ships/supplies we’ll be providing in the upcoming weeks, it would be nice in my opinion if the US started the ball rolling on the right foot here. We should offer 1 billion dollars in financial aid to japan (0.03% of our total annual budget for those naysayers). After all the ongoing negative press about big banks, greed, etc, I would like the US people to remember that our humanitarian efforts are why we deserve to remain the #1 economy in the world.

    I believe the money could be used to transport supplies/food/temporary shelters to the people in need. Also it would tell the other nations that they need to step up their game (a real life snow-ball effect).

    1. I agree with you that the US SHOULD do this. I will be very happily surprised if we do.

      On a per person basis, I think the US government will end up giving much less than other developed countries.

      Hopefully the citizens of the US will step to the plate and give generously to Japan. I have given a large donation, BUT, my wife is from Japan. Would I have given had this not been the case, I’m not sure.

  3. Smart idea to share the Red Cross info.

    So much loss. It is so scary to think about everything being fine the night before, then all the sudden an earthquake, a tsunami, and then fear of nuclear fallout.

  4. Thanks for bringing this to everyone’s attention.

    My wife is from Japan – luckily not in a part of the country that was severely impacted by the earthquake and/or Tsunami. They are hundreds of miles away but their house shook violently. My mother in law stated that it was like being on a boat out in the ocean. She was sick for the rest of the day but was better by the next day.

    I just want to state that I agree the American Red Cross is the best way for Americans to donate to this cause. This is the organization that Japanese people living in America are being told to donate thru.

    We made a donation thru the American Red Cross and we told my mother in law. She thanked us very much for our donation.

    Any amount you can give is greatly needed and will be greatly appreciated by the citizens of Japan.

    Thanks,

    David M

  5. It is mind blowing when you think about how many lives have been prematurely extinguished in such a short time…so sad.

  6. It is mind numbing how many lives have been lost in the last few days. The victims and families are in my prayers. Thanks for sharing the Red Cross donation info, I definitely want to help. The video footage is beyond belief.

  7. Good question. The flag is currently a the flag of the Mari-time Self-Defense Force (ie protect the seas), however now that you mentioned this, I’ve taken it down. I’m learning that some Chinese and Koreans may consider it offensive due to its use in WWII. That’s no good, and I don’t want that.

    What I wanted was a picture of a rising sun that would bring some hope. Let me find another picture. Thanks.

  8. Thanks for spotlighting the red cross, and also thanks for the links to those essays. I don’t make my way to the forums as often as I should. Proof is that I missed these great essays coming out.

    1. No prob. Please read all three and vote! I think you will be blown away by their stories and Thr quality of their writing.

      Hopefully everybody reading this post can donate to the Red Cross and Vote for these essays and more.

      Thx!

  9. Thanks so much for the mention Sam- I’m sure you will get to visit Vietnam soon.

    Thanks for also highlighting Japan- I have been really sad about the devastation and feeling helpless- but will go to Red Cross and donate now :) And will also share the ways that people can help on my facebook page too.

    Japan is so advanced in their earthquake preparedness… imagine if they weren’t… those numbers would be 10x the amount that they are, I’m sure.

    1. Yes indeed. I have a relative who specifically studies Tsunamis and the warning systems are life savers. Seems like the Tsunami has created much much more damage than the earthquake itself. But of course, the earthquake is what caused the Tsunami.

      Please share your thoughts on the essays after their posts. I promise you, you will enjoy them all!

  10. Money Reasons

    Very sad day, I hope it doesn’t get much worse that it already is. The nuclear threat really scares me, especially considering Japan is such a small area to begin with. My heart really does go out to them!

    Using the Red Cross link, it is very easy to make a contribution. Thanks for providing the option on your site, I’m sure every bit helps! I think I will add the same link just to show support too!

    Thanks for the mention.

  11. Thank you for spreading awareness about how to help in Japan. It is a shame to see this happening, particularly to such a densely populated and beautiful country with a rich culture like Japan. The ongoing nuclear facility problems have of course only made a bad situation worse. Nothing can be easier then texting the red cross and donating $10.00 instantly.

    1. Yes, thanks for your donation. So easy to donate $10 via our mobile. Everythig counts, especially right now.

      Pls also drop by and read the essays that i highlighted too. You will thoroughly enjoy them.

  12. Lots of donations coming in to Japan, they will need help as the destruction is pretty widespread.

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