J-Pop Artists Hold Charity Concerts For Haiyan Children Victims, Pledge PhP8.7 Million From Concert Proceeds
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Japanese pop artists under the Vision Factory Company held on 23 February 2014 two concerts for children victims of Typhoon Haiyan at the Maihama Ampitheatre, located adjacent to Tokyo Disneyland. Entitled “Save the Children of the Philippines”. The concerts were organized by Goodwill Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN Ryotaro Sugi, with Rising Productions and Vision Factory officials Mr. Testuro Taira and Mr. Takashi Kasuga.
Around 4,000 fans watched the two concerts featuring the popular J-Pop groups DA PUMP, Lead and w-inds. as well as singer Daichi Miura. The seven-member DA PUMUP is known for songs which include elements of rap. Lead is a hip hop song and dance group, while w-inds. is a boy band that has a large fan base not only in Japan but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Daichi Miura is a well-known singer, songwriter and dancer.
In a short ceremony at the opening of the second concert, a pledge of donation was presented to Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez by Mr. Kasuga, on behalf of Rising Productions. The certificate states that the company will donate JPY 20 million (approximately PHP 8.7 million) for building elementary schools in the devastated areas. The donation will be given to the Department of Education, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Ambassador Lopez thanked the audience and the people of Japan for their support for the typhoon victims. He particularly expressed appreciation to Ambassador Sugi, the organizers and the featured artists. Ambassador Lopez said that Haiyan caused great destruction in the Philippines but Filipinos will work to rebuild better communities, much like Japan did after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
After the Ambassador’s speech, the Department of Tourism’s “The Philippines says thank you” video was shown. The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo also put up a display of photos of the devastation caused by Haiyan at the concert venue. Most of the photos were from the “Displaced” photo exhibit of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and award-winning photographer Rick Rocamora. (End)
