Wal-mart Donates $5 Million To Japanese Disaster Relief

Wal-Mart announced an initial commitment of $5 million in cash and in-kind donations for emergency relief efforts in response to the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan.

Wal-Mart has a major retail presence in the Asian nation, a store chain named Seiyu, which the retail giant fully acquired in 2008. Wal-Mart said its worldwide operations have implemented fundraising drives among employees and customers to provide additional relief funds for the Japanese victims.

"With the impact of this earthquake on our own communities, customers, associates and suppliers, we wanted to reach out with assistance as soon as possible," said Scott Price, executive vice president, president and CEO of Walmart Asia.

Price added that Wal-Mart was also mounting a full scale operation to get additional relief supplies into Japan. The supplies include 95 tons of water, acrylic blankets, tents, warm clothes, fleece, portable toilets, flashlights, batteries, and other necessary relief items.

"Our operations in Japan are actively engaged in providing assistance on the ground, and we’re continuing to monitor the situation and look for additional ways that we can help with the relief efforts," said Toru Noda, president and CEO, Walmart Japan. 

He added that since the disaster struck Wal-Mart employees were working around the clock to keep supply going to the Seiyu stores in Japan, which Noda said "had become a lifeline for local communities."

Currently there are 35,892 Wal-Mart employees, 371 Seiyu stores and 43 Wakana deli stores in Japan. There are 24 Seiyu stores and 1,877 workers in the Sendai area of Japan, which has been hardest hit.