Square Enix Donates $183,000 to Support Kumamoto Earthquake Recovery
Image by Charlotte DavisSquare Enix has announced a ¥30 million donation (approx. $183,000 USD / £138,000 GBP) to support relief and recovery efforts following the devastating Kumamoto earthquake that struck Japan on July 28, 2026.
The contribution will be made through the Japanese Red Cross Society, with the company stating that it hopes the funding will help people affected by the disaster while supporting the recovery of the hardest-hit communities.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 4:27 PM JST, causing extensive damage across the region, destroying homes and infrastructure, disrupting essential services and forcing more than 10,000 people into evacuation shelters while thousands of households were left without electricity or running water.
The disaster also claimed lives across multiple locations, including the collapse of part of AEON Mall Kumamoto following an explosion and a separate industrial accident at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, while emergency crews continued rescue operations as aftershocks persisted across the region.
For many residents, the latest disaster has also reopened memories of the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which claimed 275 lives, injured thousands more and damaged almost 200,000 homes throughout the prefecture.
Square Enix said its donation has been provided through the Japanese Red Cross Society so it can be used to support both immediate humanitarian assistance and the longer process of rebuilding communities affected by the earthquake.
The publisher joins a growing number of companies from Japan’s gaming and entertainment industries that have stepped forward to help the region during its recovery.
Nintendo recently announced a ¥50 million donation (approx. $305,000 USD / £230,000 GBP) to the Japanese Red Cross Society while also introducing a free repair program for eligible Nintendo products owned by people living in disaster relief areas, regardless of warranty status.
The Pokémon Company has also committed ¥100 million (approx. $610,000 USD / £460,000 GBP), with its contribution being distributed through relief funds for Kumamoto Prefecture and the Japanese Red Cross Society to assist both immediate relief efforts and long-term reconstruction.
As recovery work continues across Kumamoto Prefecture, these contributions are expected to help provide both emergency assistance and ongoing support for communities rebuilding after one of Japan’s most destructive natural disasters in recent years.
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