The Japanese government has donated $2 million to the American Red Cross to be used to help establish evacuation sites and offer food and psychological support to victims. The Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles has also committed to assisting in long-term recovery efforts as the city begins to rebuild.
On January 15, the Japanese government announced it will donate around $2 million in assistance through the American Red Cross to provide relief for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires. The wildfires, specifically the Palisades and Eaton Fires, have destroyed thousands of homes and buildings across Los Angeles County and is set to be the costliest disaster in US history.
The donation is yet another reflection of Japan’s strong ties and history of cooperation with Los Angeles. After the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, Japanese American communities in Los Angeles rallied together to raise money for the impacted areas, with the Japanese American Society of Southern California raising over $1.5 million in disaster relief funds. “Japan is a nation that has experienced natural disasters and we are thankful for the generous support supplied by Southern California when it was needed the most,” Kenko Sone, the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles said in a released statement. The Consulate also announced that it is working with local Japanese American businesses and communities to assist in relief efforts.
While the United States and Japan have long been close allies, the relationship between Japan and California —particularly Los Angeles —is especially strong. In 2024, Japan owned the highest number of foreign owned enterprises in Southern California with over 2,000 establishments, creating around 79,000 jobs for the region. Japan-based Sony Group Corporation—more commonly known as “Sony”— announced it will donate $5 million toward emergency relief and rebuilding efforts stating that “Los Angeles has been the home of our entertainment business for more than 35 years” with “thousands of employees, partners and friends based there.”
Beyond trade and economic ties, Japan also shares a rich cultural partnership with Los Angeles. The city boasts a tightknit Japanese American population based in the historical Little Tokyo district. Pasadena, one of the cities heavily impacted by the Eaton Fire, was previously a
“Japantown” in the 1930s and 1940s and was home to many Japanese Americans and their businesses. More recently, many Japanese Major League Baseball players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki have further driven cultural exchanges between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Japanese fans, bringing wider attention to the unique relationship between Japan and Los Angeles.
Japan’s donation to Los Angeles and support for those impacted by the fires highlight the partnership between Japan and the United States and its strong bond of friendship even in times of great struggle. Though the road to recovery for Los Angeles and the communities impacted by the wildfires may take time, international support from allies like Japan make it clear it will not be a road traveled alone.
Lois Ramilo is a Spring Young Professional at the East West Center in Washington. She is a recent graduate from the University of California, San Diego where she majored in international relations.