Help Save Japan

日本に援助と、そして希望を！！

Unless you have been living in a fallout shelter (which might not be such a bad idea considering the potential nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima), you have all by now seen images and video footage of the massive devastation in Japan following the 8.9 earthquake and subsequent tsunamis on March 11, 2011 at 2:46 pm Japan Standard Time (05:46 UTC).

The devastating natural disaster is now known as the “2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami” (東北地方太平洋沖地震 Tōhoku Chihō Taiheiyō-Oki Jishin).  The 8.9 “megathrust” earthquake’s epicenter was 81 miles off the east coast of Japan with a depth of 20 miles.  More than the quake itself, it was the 33-foot tsunami waves that did the real damage, going as far inland as 6 miles in some areas and triggering tsunami warnings as far away as the entire Pacific Coast of North and South America.

So far, 6,406 people are confirmed dead, with 2,409 injured, and 10,259 missing (Source: Japanese National Police Agency).  On top of these tragic losses, there was significant damage to roads, railways, dams, crucial supply chains (for food, fuel, services, etc.), and as we’ve all heard on the news, the Fukushima I and Fukushima II nuclear power plants.

With thousands dead and millions without running water, electricity, or even homes, it is time for the rest of the world to step up and help save Japan. Here are a few ways you can help:

1) Donate to MercyCorp

There are countless charities to choose from, but I choose MercyCorp because they are local (their headquarters is down in Portland), they focus on both short and long-term aid, and they spend the vast majority of proceeds on actual aid (unlike many not-so-charitable charities that spend most of the funds on running the company and paying salaries.)

In their own words:

“Mercy Corps is working to help survivors of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami with our longstanding partner, Peace Winds. Peace Winds continues to deliver emergency supplies — including large shelters, tents, blankets, instant rice and fresh produce — to families evacuated from homes in the tsunami-devastated city of Kesennuma. Mercy Corps has deployed our emergency team leader to help Peace Winds coordinate its lifesaving response. Your donation will be used to meet immediate and longer-term needs of families affected by this disaster.”

Donate

2) Write a letter to emergency workers and students in Japan

Why send a letter to emergency workers?

“A day after the disaster, Japan has mobilised thousands of troops, 300 planes and 40 ships for the relief effort.  More domestic and foreign emergency workers could find themselves in the front line of this disaster in the coming days and weeks of immediate relief and possibly months and years of reconstruction and resettlement.  As a highly-developed major economy, Japan may not need much aid in the form of money or equipment (although those will help).  What can you do?  Send a message to support and encouragement in English and Hope Letters will translate it into Japanese.”

Why send a letter to students?

“When the relief operations end and reconstruction starts, many children and youth will themselves in temporary schools with possibly different classmates and teachers.  Some may also find themselves staying with family or others in cities away from their destroyed cities.   All will be told to try to study but the reality of the devastation will be hard to ignore.  How can you help?  Send a message to support and encouragement in English and Hope Letters will translate it into Japanese.”

Learn More

3) Buy a Help Save Japan t-shirt

I have set up a shop on CafePress where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, bags, mugs, etc. that all feature the “Help Save Japan” design.

I will donate 100% of my commissions to MercyCorps. I figure that with my access to running water, electricity, and no impending nuclear catastrophe here in Seattle, I shouldn’t ask for much else…

And through April 11, 2011, CafePress will donate an additional 10% from their cut on each t-shirt.

In addition to the donation your purchase enables, you will also be helping to encourage further donations by wearing the shirts. You techies will notice that the shirts include a QR code, nifty 3D barcodes that can be scanned by apps on a smartphone, whisking potential donors right back to this page without having to type a thing. (You can actually test it yourself by opening a barcode app and holding your phone’s camera up to this code.)

Buy Now

4) Buy Master Japanese: Self-Guided Immersion for the Passionate Language Learner

For the month of March, I will be donating 50% of all sales of my Japanese language learning guide to MercyCorps.

Master Japanese: Self-Guided Immersion for the Passionate Language Learner shares all the tips, tools, and tech I have learned over the last decade learning and teaching languages, living and working around the world, meeting thousands of language learners, and interviewing world renowned language experts, native speakers, and researchers.

The guide shows you exactly how to learn Nihongo in the quickest, cheapest and most enjoyable way possible, drawing on the latest linguistic research, breakthroughs in brain science, advances in consumer technology and media distribution, and my first-hand experience on what works and what doesn’t.

You can then use your new Japanese skills to go visit Japan. Trust me; they can use the tourist spending…

Buy Now

5) Spread the word

Share this page with friends, colleagues, spouses, neighbors, allies, even the UPS guy.  And don’t forget about ex-colleagues, former spouses, foes, and nemeses; remember, nothing helps bury the hatchet like doing good for others.

Just click one of the share icons below.