*EPF402 09/08/2005
Asia-Pacific Opens Hearts, Wallets to U.S. Victims of Katrina
(Individuals, governments sending aid to hurricane-stricken region) (630)

By Jane A. Morse
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- "One good turn deserves another," the old adage says, and most certainly the people of the Asia-Pacific region are returning the kindness Americans have shown to victims of the December 2004 tsunami that devastated huge swathes of the region.

Individuals and governments in the Asia-Pacific region are opening their hearts and wallets to help millions of victims of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed homes and lives across some 90,000 square miles along America's Gulf Coast (see related article (http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Sep/02-225769.html)).

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was overwhelmed by the generosity of one Japanese individual, who donated $1 million from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts.�� Takashi Endo, a private businessman in Japan, already has transferred the funds to the official U.S. government account for Katrina relief efforts.�� J. Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, recognized Endo's extraordinary gift with a certificate of appreciation on September 7.

Schieffer also received a delegation from the Union of Korean Residents of Japan, who presented him with a donation of some $50,000.�� U.S. government offices throughout Japan have been receiving donations from various Japanese regional and municipal bodies and private organizations.

In addition, the Japanese government is offering tents, blankets, power generators and portable water tanks.�� It is also providing $200,000 to the American Red Cross, one of the largest relief operations aiding the hurricane victims.�� Total assistance offered by the government of Japan amounts to $1 million.

The Republic of Korea (ROK), with its pledge of $30 million in cash and the dispatch of a rescue team, is providing one of the largest donations to be offered by the world's governments to the U.S. relief and recovery efforts. About $5 million of that amount will come from the ROK government budget, with the remainder to be raised through contributions by the Korean National Red Cross, the religious community and Korean companies doing business in the United States, according to the Embassy of Korea in Washington.

The Australian Red Cross has presented $7.6 million to the American Red Cross.�� It has also offered specialists in the areas of public health and disaster-victim identification.

The Chinese government has provided $5 million in cash donations, plus $2 million worth of tents, bedding and generators.�� A chartered plane carrying the materials arrived on September 7 at Little Rock, Arkansas, which has been receiving planeloads of foreign aid to supply hardest-hit New Orleans, which is about 530 miles away.

New Zealand has donated a total of $2 million to the U.S. Red Cross and has offered search-and-rescue personnel along with a victim-identification team.

Indonesia and Thailand, both recipients of U.S. aid after the December 2004 tsunami (see U.S. Response to Tsunami (http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/global_issues/recovery.html)), are offering medical personnel to help with U.S. efforts in the wake of the hurricane.

Singapore has offered rescue personnel and three Chinook helicopters. Frank Lavin, the U.S. ambassador to Singapore, noted that Singapore's air force personnel already are saving lives in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

"Last year with the Asian tsunami disaster, we all saw that rapid response was critical in saving lives," Lavin said.�� "Americans will long remember this immediate help from the RSAF [Republic of Singapore Air Force]."

On behalf of the United States and all Americans, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed "heartfelt thanks" during her September 2 visit to the devastated areas for the "warm and passionate response" from the international community and its offers to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. (See related article (http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Sep/02-416416.html).)

For additional information, see Hurricane Katrina (http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/global_issues/hurricane_katrina.html).

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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