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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated 40 million yen to the Japanese Red Cross Society in response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024 that occurred on January 1, 2024. The decision was made by the Asia North Area Presidency, and the funds were used from fast offerings collected from church members around the world. This donation is the same amount as the donation made last year for the natural disasters in Korea and other countries.
On the afternoon of January 26, 2024, President Eiji Nishimura (2nd counselor of the Kanazawa Stake), and others visited the Ishikawa Branch of the Japanese Red Cross Society (Kanazawa City) to present the donation to Mr. Masato Omote, the branch secretary general. Mr. Omote expressed his gratitude and said that long-lasting humanitarian assistance would be needed in the future, to which Mr. Nishimura agreed.
The Japanese Red Cross Society has been providing relief supplies since January 2, and nearly 300 doctors and nurses from all over Japan are now continuing their medical activities, living in tents in areas where there are no accommodations. Mr. Omote, a native of the Noto Peninsula, has a good understanding of the disaster situation. He explained the Red Cross activities under the severe environment. President Nishimura and Brother Ochiai (an employee of the Church Welfare and Independence Support Service Department), explained the more than 100-year relationship between the church and the International Red Cross Society and their blood donation activities in recent years, reaffirming the partnership between the church and the organization.