The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York (JCCI) has been a loyal friend to Americans who have suddenly found their homes and communities devastated by disaster. JCCI’s first gift of support to the AmeriCares U.S. Disaster Fund came in response to the series of deadly tornadoes that swept through southern states in the spring of 2011. They made additional gifts after the Joplin, Missouri tornado that same spring, and have supported AmeriCares recent responses to Midwest tornadoes, wildfires in the west, and storms and power outages in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Our two countries often work side by side in disaster responses around the world and we share a strong humanitarian impulse. Last year we were able to help each other directly. As AmeriCares was airlifting medicines to Tohoku University Hospital in Sendai after the Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami, JCCI and its members expressed their concern and support for Americans who had lost so much in one of the worst U.S. tornado seasons in decades. 

JCCI support has helped AmeriCares provide over $3 million in aid to states affected by severe weather during the spring 2011 events, including $600,000 in aid to help communities recover and prepare for future emergencies. Their ongoing support will help us with recovery and preparation programs that will strengthen local health services and disaster response capabilities, as well as enable us to respond to new events without hesitation.

The JCCI was formed eighty years ago to facilitate trade between the U.S. and Japan. Its mission has expanded to include promoting cultural understanding between the two nations, encouraging social responsibility and working to achieve the goal of the Chamber's founding fathers—a bilateral relationship based on friendship and cooperation.