Japan, China to support fund project for disaster orphans initiated by Johnny & Associates

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan and China plan to support an initiative to launch a fund aimed at facilitating exchanges between children of the two countries who lost one or both parents due to the natural disasters last year and in 2008, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The fund, expected to be worth 2 billion to 3 billion yen, will be used to deepen ties of children who lost parents in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan's northeastern region of Tohoku, and the 2008 massive quake in China's Sichuan Province, the sources said.

The two governments plan to support the initiative to be taken up by Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates Inc. in timing with the 40th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral diplomatic relations this year, according to the sources. The talent agency produces pop groups including SMAP and Arashi.

Government officials and people who are involved in planning the project are hoping to collect donations to launch the fund, through which the children's expenses to mutually visit the disaster-hit areas in Japan and the Chinese province will be financed, they said.

About 2,000 children lost one or both parents in the March disaster as did an estimated 10,000 children in the Chinese quake, according to Ashinaga, a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support to orphans.

In recent years, Johnny & Associates has been playing a significant role in strengthening relations of the two countries. Late last year, it said it will cover part of the cost for China's lease of giant pandas to a zoo in the city of Sendai, which was affected by the March disaster, to cheer up children there.

(Mainichi Japan) January 6, 2012

Leave a Comment

shiroikazex 6th-Jan-2012 10:28 am (UTC)

:) as someone born in the province right beside the one hit by the earthquake in China, this is really touching.

mizumi10 6th-Jan-2012 10:49 am (UTC)

this is great news. really. i'm glad. :)

melizah 6th-Jan-2012 10:56 am (UTC)

Helping those who need help is a good thing.

arashic5 6th-Jan-2012 11:01 am (UTC)

Will Marching J be involved?
I'm glad the kids are being taken care of, I hope it can help them move on

exdream1999 6th-Jan-2012 11:20 am (UTC)

I'm pretty sure it is as it seems to be their umbrella under which they do all their Tohoku aimed charity stuff under. I do know that it's the donations from Marching J that are going towards the pandas in Sendai, as I saw that on TV last month, but as I've recently been shunning the world in favor of sleep until recently, I haven't seen anything about this new project on TV.

arashic5 6th-Jan-2012 12:23 pm (UTC)

thank you ^^

cyberdudey 6th-Jan-2012 11:30 am (UTC)

Nice job!!! GO JE!!! <3

a_cheshire_grin 6th-Jan-2012 11:48 am (UTC)

This is great!!!!!

cuizy 6th-Jan-2012 01:30 pm (UTC)

Wow! Thats really awesome! So it supports kids visiting the other countries? Sounds like an interesting project..... Wonder what else they'll do to promote exchange

cuizy 6th-Jan-2012 01:56 pm (UTC)

Also I can't help but think this is an indication that Johnny wants to do more in China too by first promoting good relations between the two countries

krzhope 6th-Jan-2012 02:27 pm (UTC)

oops~ same here! aside from thinking that it is really a good project i cant help but thinking that maybe Johny-san wants to expand in china too... ^^

cocopi 6th-Jan-2012 01:49 pm (UTC)

Can't believe Johnny's agency has so much influence in things, I mean it's an entertainment business for god's sake. Good news is good though :)

cuizy 6th-Jan-2012 02:15 pm (UTC)

Yeah， when last year SMAP visited China, they were practically treated like diplomats being seen in the Great Hall of People and really high ranking Chinese officials

cocopi 6th-Jan-2012 02:23 pm (UTC)

That's amazing, a little weird but amazing.

exdream1999 6th-Jan-2012 02:55 pm (UTC)

As a side note because it just popped into my head: Aiba met the King of Bhutan while he was there filming for that one-off enivromental special. What's even more interesting is that in order to enter Bhutan you have to have your intenerary planned ahead of time and that visit wasn't part of it, after he arrived it apparently reached someone up high that he was there and then they arranged the interview.

islandgurl84 6th-Jan-2012 02:05 pm (UTC)

Way to go JE, children need to be helped and you're doing a good job. * applause *

chizzyrei 6th-Jan-2012 02:37 pm (UTC)

i like that J&A's action plans are specific. the funds they raised years ago from another earthquake were also channeled to be for the benefit of children.

yvn_chan 6th-Jan-2012 03:05 pm (UTC)

I am probably like a really really horrible person because the first thought that came into my mind was "Is this a ploy to scout for foreign johnny's juniors?"

This aside, I think it's great that the fund is aimed towards children because they're the most vulnerable, in my view, when it comes to dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.

ilovekat_tun 7th-Jan-2012 01:58 pm (UTC)

What will Johnny want foreign Johnny's juniors for?

yvn_chan 7th-Jan-2012 04:48 pm (UTC)

Another Golf & Mike? IDK... It was just a random thought that popped up in my mind.

snow_meow 6th-Jan-2012 05:50 pm (UTC)

I am glad that Johnnys is doing this.
About time someone aside from politicians try to bring closer ties between Japan and China.
Not to mention this activity will help children.