Earlier this week a magnitude 7.6 earthquake devastated western Japan, and the death toll has risen to nearly 100 people. In the wake of this tragedy, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has partnered with the team to help the country rebuild.
On Friday, the Dodgers and Ohtani announced that they would be donating significant funds to Japan in order to aid the survivors of the disaster. The team will be sending $1 million in aid, and Ohtani will be making his own contribution.
“In support of the disaster relief efforts for the 2024 Sea of Japan earthquake and in collaboration with the Dodgers, I am making a donation in aid of the survivors,” Ohtani said in a statement. “I would like to thank those who have joined in the recovery effort, and my hope is that we continue to come together to support those whose lives have been upended. I hope for the rapid rescue of missing persons and the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas.”
The earthquakes did untold damage to the area around Ishikawa, killing dozens and injuring even more. Countless buildings and vehicles were also destroyed in the quake, and tsunami warnings were issued in the immediate aftermath but have since been lifted.
Ohtani, a native of Japan and a star in the country’s top baseball league for several years, just signed a $700 million contract with the Dodgers last month. He is already using some of those resources to help Japan as it tries to recover from this unspeakable tragedy.
