AsiaNet 44223

TOKYO, Apr. 14 (ANTARA/Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet) --

- Japan Platform, PayPal Join Kyodo in "Heart to Heart Japan311" Project -

On April 14, K.K. Kyodo News, Japan Platform (an NGO for disaster relief) and PayPal (a leading global online payment platform) set up a donation window on the Facebook website (Heart to Heart Japan311) that can receive relief money quicker and more securely from overseas people for help with disaster relief efforts for the Great East Japan Earthquake. The window is on Facebook's Kyodo News English site (http://www.facebook.com/kyodonews), featuring information associated with the earthquake.

K.K. Kyodo News launched the Great East Japan Earthquake Facebook site on March 15 to post information related to the disaster and Fukushima nuclear plant crisis to help Facebook users -- said to be more than 500 million all over the world -- and over 94 million active PayPal users in 190 markets worldwide to better understand the country's realities.

The holder of a PayPal account can contribute relief money -- from 5 to max. 500 US dollars per donation. Push the "Offer Assistance" button on the top of the Kyodo site, select the amount of your donation, and you can make your payment faster and safer by online settlement.

Japan Platform is a nonprofit organization undertaking international humanitarian projects around the world in association with NGOs, businesses and governments as equal partners. Japan Platform will use the donations collected through the PayPal online payment platform for such purposes as distribution of relief goods, medical support and reconstruction of the daily lives of disaster victims. The results of this relief effort are planned to be published occasionally on the Kyodo News site.

K.K. Kyodo News, Japan Platform and PayPal are appealing for more help, although Japan has received tremendous support and assistance from many countries, companies, organizations and citizens all over the world since the earthquake occurred. Still, "the regions and people affected by the disaster need your kind help."

Japan Platform (JPF) (www.japanplatform.org)A nonprofit organizations set up by NGOs, companies and citizens as a new channel for Japanese international contribution. JPF is engaged in a broad scope of activities, including distribution of relief goods, medical assistance and mental care, for disaster victims, conflict-displaced people and other disadvantaged people across the world. Since its establishment in 2000, JPF has provided relief worth 1.38 billion yen to 33 countries and regions through 605 projects (as of February 2011).

PayPal (www.paypal.com)
PayPal service is the faster, safer way to pay and get paid online. With more than 94 million active accounts*(Note 1) in 190 markets and 25 currencies around the world, PayPal enables global ecommerce. PayPal Inc., a U.S. company offering leading global online payment service, is based in San Jose, California, and its international headquarters in Singapore (PayPal Pte. Ltd.).*(Note 1): active accounts are those that have had activity in the past 12 months

K.K. Kyodo News (www.kyodonews.jp/english/)
A commercial arm of Kyodo News, Japan's leading news agency serving practically all domestic newspapers and radio/TV stations. It is engaged in a broad range of services, including the supply of news and photos/videos to non-media subscribers such as governments and businesses, publication of books and magazines, and hosting of seminars and other events.http://www.facebook.com/kyodonews(K.K. Kyodo News Facebook site)


Sources:
K.K. Kyodo News
Japan Platform
PayPal Japan K.K.

Contact:
Shinobu Iketani, Izuru Tsuchiya
Information Planning & Marketing Department
K.K. Kyodo News
Tel: +81-3-6252-6094
E-mail: kka.jigyosenryaku@kyodonews.jp

Reporter: Adityawarman
Editor: PR Wire
Copyright © ANTARA 2011