The Pokémon Company and renowned Japanese musician YOSHIKI have announced significant donations to support victims of the earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, 2026. The Pokémon Company donated a total of 100 million yen, approximately $630,000, to Kumamoto Prefecture, the Japanese Red Cross, and several organizations involved in relief and assistance operations. YOSHIKI, for his part, announced a personal donation of 10 million yen, approximately $63,000, to the Japanese Red Cross to help support those affected by the disaster and reconstruction efforts.

However, YOSHIKI’s commitment was not limited to Japan. The artist also donated a total of €100,000 to the French Red Cross and the Spanish Red Cross to support emergency and recovery operations responding to the major fires currently affecting several regions of Europe. Having lived in Los Angeles for many years, the musician reaffirmed his deep attachment to Japan, which he still considers his home, as well as to Europe and France in particular. He expressed his solidarity with people affected in France, Spain, and Japan, as well as with those who have lost their homes and the teams working on the front lines to combat the fires.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28 at around 4:27 p.m. The disaster reportedly claimed approximately 38 lives, while nearly 48,300 households lost electricity and around 84,000 others lost access to running water. Approximately 9,000 residents also had to seek shelter at evacuation centers, while the injured were transported to various hospitals across the prefecture. Subsequent aftershocks worsened the toll: an explosion occurred at around 5:50 p.m. at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, reportedly killing at least seven people. Nippon Paper Industries also confirmed that nine of its employees died after an industrial chimney collapsed as a result of the earthquake.