12th April 2011
It’s been one month since Japan’s most powerful Earthquake on record hit the region. Many Japanese people have suffered, and many more are still suffering in the aftermath of their worst disaster in recent times.
Palais Imports and our business partner Better Beer Imports (BBI) would like to help out, in the only way we know how…. by selling and drinking as much beer, sake and umeshu as we can. See details below.
The Damage:
The Japanese National Police Agency has confirmed 13,013 deaths, 4,711 injured, and 14,921 people missing across eighteen prefectures, as well as over 125,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.The earthquake and tsunami caused extensive and severe structural damage in Japan, including heavy damage to roads and railways as well as fires in many areas, and a dam collapse. Around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.
Japan’s government said the cost of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northeast could reach $309 billion, making it the world’s most expensive natural disaster on record.source
Red Cross response:
Australian Red Cross is running an appeal to assist people affected by the huge 9 magnitude earthquake and more than seven metre tsunami, which hit north east Japan. Many areas across the Pacific were affected due to the tsunami…… see more details here.
Kiuchi Brewery update:
Well unfortunately Kiuchi brewery is in the Ibaraki Prefecture just north of Tokyo, so yes it did sustain some damage from the earthquake, however thankfully it is well out of range of the Tsunami, so the damage was relatively minor. Please visit their website here for a full report along with some images of the damage.
Drink for Japan – Fundraiser:
For 30 days, starting April 11, Palais Imports & Better Beer Pty Ltd will be donating over 50% of it’s profits from the sale of any of the HITACHINO NEST BEER and KIKUSAKARI sake range, to the Australian Red Cross Japanese disaster appeal.
Visit www.palaisimports.com.au for a weekly update of the funds tally raised.