With all due respect (and as someone whose wife comes from Iwate prefecture) you should know that while Japan has rich people, that doesn’t mean their wealth is getting to those who need it.

You are an economist, right? You understand (do I presume too much?) that the invisible hand of many independent players can achieve things that even governments cannot.

As a hardline statist, perhaps it goes against your religion that many small and creative organizations (such as the sock guy) can identify and solve tons of problems before the government can get its pants on, but that is the reality. Not because of money but because of free markets.

In New Orleans, the situation was immeasurably worsened because self-important people took ‘control’ when a hive-like approach was needed.

I’m sure donated funds will be welcome — but it will be months before they actually make a difference. In the meantime, relief organizations are making do with whatever they already have available.

That isn’t a reason not to donate.

Shame on you Salmon, for such crass grandstanding at a time of great suffering and shame on Reuters for allowing your trash to be published on their site.

DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT MEDIA SAYS.

Half of Japan is severely damaged.
Japan was rich. It “WAS”.

And those northern areas are relatively poor areas
with many older people.

Do not stop your support.
Think about children and elders.
What they have build has all lost.

There are many many organizations other than Red Cross.
Many of them are tax deductible.

Please choose the organizations carefully.
And again, please help Japan now.
Do not stop the circle of help.
It could be you and your family.

It will not surprise me if Japan elects to create a couple of Marines-like amphibious assault units as part of their SDF (say two regiment or battalion sized units) complete with support ships that can be used for sea to shore rescue and logistics operations. They could locate each of the units at opposite ends of the island chain so that one of them would always have unrestricted ability to mobilize for another earthquake and tsunami.

http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/SBA_ NEWS/SBA_news_5.htm — you have to use Google translate (or similar).

Shigeru Ban, a well known architect around the world, is trying to gear up to make temporary partitions for those who were dislocated to gyms and open structures after their homes were destroyed. These temporary partitions bring some normalcy and privacy to an otherwise uncomfortable and despairing situation for displaced residents. We’ve seen from Haiti, that rebuilding efforts, even slightly less temporary housing, takes a long time. These rapidly erected partitions help bridge that gap.

Worth considering.

In the interest of accurate information, the below details the Japanese Red Cross’ position. It has set up a fund to accept donations that will then go to a govt. superfund. The resulting pool of money will then be directly distributed to disaster victims.

So on one hand, the Japanese red cross itself does not need funding for its operations, but on the other hand donating will directly help the victims of the disaster. Whether the Japanese affected actually need this money or not is up for debate. On one hand, they may have lost everything they own. On the other, they may have had insurance on their house perhaps.

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From the Japanese Red Cross website
http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/V cms4_00002070.html

We heartily appreciate your kind offer of donation.

If you want to donate money to the affected population of earthquake and tsunami, please contact your national Red Cross/Crescent society, which may have already launched fundraising campaign within your country.

If your national society doesn’t collect donation or you wish to send your donations directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society, please direct your fund to the following bank account. If you need the receipt of your fund, please state so clearly in the comment section of the bank transfer order. All the fund received under this account will be transferred to the Distribution Committee, which is formed around the local government of the disaster-affected prefecture and to be distributed directly among the affected population of earthquake and tsunami,

　Name of Bank: Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
　Name of Branch: Ginza
　Account No.: 8047670 (Ordinary Account)
　SWIFT Code: SMBC JP JT
　Payee Name: The Japanese Red Cross Society
　Payee Address: 1-1-3 Shiba-Daimon Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN

Thank you once again for your generous offer. It is surely the source of encouragement for the affected population in Japan.