The Pokemon Company has announced that it's donating a rather sizable sum to help those affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake that took place in Japan earlier this month.
In a post on its website (which is in Japanese), the company reveals that it's contributing 50 million yen (roughly $348,000 at time of writing) to the Japanese Red Cross society, as well as to various other relief organizations.
This, the company hopes, will help people affected by the disaster, and will also help to restore the areas the earthquake has damaged.
Additionally, the company points to its ongoing work in the form of the Pokemon with You fundraising campaign, through which it says it will continue to try and help children affected by the disaster.
The earthquake in question took place on New Year's Day on the Noto Peninsula, which is located in the Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan.
According to the BBC, the death toll from the earthquake currently stands at 161, with hundreds of people injured. That number could rise as we learn more in the coming days, unfortunately.
While the disaster is horrific, not all of its stories have ended in tragedy; a woman in her 90s was recovered from a collapsed building over the weekend, having spent several days trapped beneath rubble.
This isn't the first charitable donation The Pokemon Company has made; back in March 2022, at the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war, the company donated around $200,000 to help families affected by the conflict.
In its original post announcing the donation to the Japanese Red Cross, The Pokemon Company says it's praying for recovery and reconstruction in the areas affected by the earthquake.
Naturally, we're right there with them. Let's hope that Pokemon can bring smiles to people's faces at a time when they desperately need something to be optimistic about.
