Jack Johnson, his band, crew and family were in the 29th floor of a hotel room in Osaka, Japan when the Tohoku Earthquake struck on March 11. His Osaka show took place as planned a few hours later, just as the media began to disseminate images of the tragedy. Jack then cancelled his planned Tokyo media event scheduled for the next day, and eventually decided that the remaining Japan shows would be postponed. From Osaka, the tour was scheduled to move on to Sendai, one of the cities hardest hit by the tsunami.
He announced yesterday that he is donating $50,000 to GlobalGiving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. The non-profit is distributing funds to Save the Children, the International Medical Corps, and other on-the-ground organizations.
Of his experience in the Osaka hotel room, Jack said “Although it was an extremely nerve-racking experience, it was nothing compared to what those closer to the epicenter are going through. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the families that have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. We are making a donation to help with the relief efforts and hope to be back in Japan soon to reunite with friends and play more music.”
Jack is encouraging his fans to join him and his family in the relief efforts. GlobalGiving has set a goal of $2M. To learn more about the campaign and for more information about how you can contribute, go here.
For a reminder of happier times in Japan, check out this performance of "Brushfire Fairytales" from his 2005 DVD "A Weekend at the Greek/Live in Japan".