Kumamoto earthquake relief: Ado donates 40 million yen

Singer Ado has donated 40 million yen to support relief and reconstruction efforts following the Kumamoto earthquake. Her agency confirmed the donation was made through the Kumamoto Prefecture relief fund account, expressing hope for the rapid recovery of the affected areas. The announcement has drawn significant public praise, with many expressing gratitude for her substantial contribution.

Separately, the political group Chudo Kaikaku Rengo issued an apology regarding a social media post concerning Kumamoto earthquake fundraising. The group explained that while attempting to use AI to blur the faces of bystanders for privacy protection, the technology erroneously altered a donation box in a photo. This resulted in the box incorrectly displaying “Noto Peninsula” instead of “Kumamoto Earthquake.” The group clarified that the actual donation box used during their street campaign in Yurakucho correctly identified the Kumamoto earthquake and confirmed that all collected funds, totaling 180,677 yen, have been transferred to the appropriate relief account in Kumamoto.