Japan Hour

We have Japan to thank for a lot of things: ramen, Kobe beef, MSG, J-pop, Playstation 3, Final Fantasy, Takeshi Kaneshiro, ninjas and all things kawaii. On account of their ramen alone, I already am eternally grateful to the Japanese. These guys know their way around noodle soup.

Here in Singapore, we’re fortunate enough not to know what it’s like to experience an earthquake. Or a tsunami, for that matter. At home, the flooding in Orchard Road is about as close as it gets to a natural disaster, so we’re thankful. But there are folks who’ve had to brave a magnitude 8.9 earthquake and they’re doing all they can to get their lives back the way it used to be.

I know we can’t all be there to help but in addition to our thoughts and prayers, we can send some help their way right from the comfort of our earthquake-free homes. There are several sites that are receiving donations for disaster relief efforts in Japan and whatever little we can give will go a long way.

If you prefer an option closer to home, Groupon Singapore is having a deal of the day where they will be giving 100% of your donations to the Red Cross to support emergency relief efforts in Japan. You can use your credit cards or paypal account to donate, which is about as hassle-free as possible. Seriously, we can all help a little.