Thank you

December 31, 2015

The 2015 fundraising campaign for people in need, especially in other parts of Asia, has come to an official close. The donations received totaled ¥718,012. Money received after the end of the 2015 campaign will be included in the charity fundraiser for 2016.

We are most grateful to our readers, who have generously responded to help people in need of humanitarian aid. We believe your support will give the recipients encouragement and hope for a better tomorrow.

After the allocation of funds has been decided, the recipient organizations will be announced in The Japan Times.

The Japan Times, Ltd.


Japan Times kicks off 60th charity drive

November 18, 2015

The Japan Times has started its 60th charity drive to raise money to help needy people in Asia. The campaign runs through Dec. 31.

Last year, readers contributed ¥500,424 to The Japan Times Readers’ Fund. We thank you for your generosity.

The donations were distributed to five organizations — the Kyoto-based Nippon International Cooperation for Community Development (NICCO), the Japan International Volunteer Center, AMATAK (House of Cambodia), the Manila-based Educational Research and Development Assistance (ERDA) Foundation and the Japan Association for Refugees. Each organization was presented with ¥100,085.

NICCO provided literacy enhancement, English education and computer and other vocational training to women in western Afghanistan’s Herat and Ghor provinces and also helped Afghan refugees who had fled to Iran support themselves and return to their country.

The Japan International Volunteer Center trained farmers in the Atsaphone and Phine districts in Savannakhet province, Laos, for agriculture and village development and forest preservation from the viewpoint of promoting local food security.

AMATAK, which was founded and is led by the Rev. Fumio Goto of the Kichijoji Catholic Church in Tokyo, gave educational assistance to children in Cambodia, where it has already constructed buildings for 18 elementary schools.

ERDA helped children in Manila’s Paco and Pandacan areas with basic education through such means as home and school visits and counseling services.

The Japan Association for Refugees, in partnership with the Tokyo branch of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, provided emergency assistance, including living expenses and food, to refugees from other parts of Asia who were living in Japan in dire conditions.

If readers wish to contribute to the fund, donations can be made via a bank transfer to the following account: Mizuho Bank, Shinbashi branch, “futsu koza” 1393499 (account name: The Japan Times Dokusha no Nanmin Enjo Kikin). Checks should be made payable to The Japan Times. Readers’ Fund and mailed to:

The Japan Times Readers’ Fund

The Japan Times

4-5-4 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8071.

The telephone number is (03) 3453-5312