The Pokemon Company donates 100 million yen to help Japan earthquake recovery

The Pokemon Company has donated $611,000 to support relief and recovery efforts following the devastating earthquake that struck Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit southwestern Japan on July 28, causing widespread damage across Kumamoto. Local authorities have confirmed at least 34 deaths, while rescue crews continue searching for survivors in collapsed buildings.

In a statement published on July 30, The Pokemon Company announced it would donate a total of 100 million yen to Kumamoto Prefecture ($610,875), the Japanese Red Cross Society, and other support organizations to aid victims and help rebuild the affected areas.

The Pokemon Company pledges earthquake aid

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to everyone affected by the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake,” reads the translated statement.

“The Pokemon Company has decided to provide a total of 100 million yen in donations to Kumamoto Prefecture, the Japanese Red Cross Society, and support organizations to assist with emergency relief efforts and the recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas.”

“We sincerely pray for the swift recovery and reconstruction of the disaster-stricken region.”

The Pokemon Company has previously supported communities affected by major disasters in Japan through its POKEMON with YOU initiative, which began following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and later expanded to include support efforts after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake.

In the days since the earthquake hit the region, a bronze Luffy statue outside Kumamoto Prefectural Office was confirmed to have escaped damage despite the powerful tremors and ongoing aftershocks.

Elsewhere, a cat cafe that was inside the heavily damaged Aeon Mall also confirmed that all 25 of its resident cats had been safely rescued, offering one of the few bright spots to emerge from the disaster as recovery efforts continue across the prefecture.