The Japanese Canadian Cultural Center said Saturday it will use the 1.5 million Canadian dollars (¥137 million) in its Japan Earthquake Relief Fund to assist the education of young people in the Tohoku region affected by the 2011 disasters.
"The future of the region depends highly on the ability of the children there to continue their education so they can revitalize" Tohoku, board director Christine Nakamura said, noting the local "aging population" further emphasizes the importance of youth.
The Toronto-based organization will focus on three ways to "instill a feeling of hope" in youths from the hardest-hit prefectures of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima, Nakamura said.