Help Japan.

(credit: DigitalGlobe) www.digitalglobe.com

By now I guess everyone is fully aware of the disaster that happened in Japan. After one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded worldwide, Japan was hit by a tsunami. It destroyed large areas along the north east coast and possibly killed 10,000 people. In the aftermath several nuclear plants started to malfunction, causing a probable melt down.

If you want to help, Google’s homepage has a link to a comprehensive set of resources to help people in Japan. In cooperation with the (American) Red Cross Apple has made it possible to donate via iTunes.

In regard to Sigma there is good and bad news. The good news is ““which as you can read below was most important to Sigma”“ that there were no human casualties among the employees and (hopefully) their families. The bad news is that there is damage on machines and facilities in the factory.

Among all the tragedy beautiful things happened too, Sigma SD14 user ka_tate became the father of a beautiful daughter on March 13th. And the description that accompanied the photo showed a wonderful optimistic view!

My new family

I believe we could overcome this tragedy in the future, and could make our society happier and brighter than before when my daughter and her friends will enjoy their lives.

I wish you peace.

I sincerely hope that his hopes will be shared by many. And that the future will indeed be happier and brighter than before.

I wish you all peace.
Bob van Ooik

Kazuto Yamaki kept us informed using Twitter and Facebook.

[blackbirdpie url=https://twitter.com/kazutoyamaki/status/46121731630448640]

Update Mar 12 01:00 CET: Kazuto Yamaki: “I’m in Sigma Fukushima Aizu factory, locates in northern part of Japan, where close to the epicenter. Fortunately, no human casualty among the employee, but not sure about their families. Now, investigating it. Some serious damage on the machines and facilities in the factory, but not fatal, I hope.

I will check the situation in the factory further today. My families in Tokyo are all okay.”

Update March 14

[blackbirdpie url=https://twitter.com/kazutoyamaki/status/47084233604333568]

Update March 16

[blackbirdpie url=https://twitter.com/kazutoyamaki/status/47829671437537280]

Video message from Sigma Germany March 16.

Dear our friends and colleagues in Japan,

my name is Marco Hahn. I am in charge of SIGMA Germany branch. Please excuse my very bad japanese. I wanted to say this message in Japanese. My collegue helped me to translate so i do my best.

We have seen the horrible pictures from the earthquake and tsunami in japan. German TV is full of reports the hole day. There is no other topic right now. The whole world feels with you. We, the SIGMA Germany team, about 30 employees, are shocked and feel sad about the things that happened in Japan. Even we are different countries, different history, different religions, different habits, we are all human beings. And we have the same feelings. We all love our children and family. And we love our friends. We are One world family. Even we don’t know all of you personally, we like to ensure you that we feel a band around us which is connecting us with you. Our hearts are in Japan and many of our staff in Germany have cried when we have seen the things happening. When I visited Aizu factory in the past, I had a feeling I visit my second family. I felt the warm hearts from all of you and the spirit and soul in our factory. Now its time to give some of this energy you gave to me back to you. We can not be there in Japan to help you so we will be professional and do our jobs in Germany. Even so we feel that we like to hug every single one of you personally and say you that we are with you. You are not alone.

Your SIGMA Germany friends

Update 21 April 2011

Sigma corporation makes a generous donation to support the earthquake/tsunami victims in North East Japan

Support for victims in North East Japan

2011.4.21
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people in north east Japan where the huge disaster hit on 11th March 2011.
We support the region by donating the amount of 500 million yen from Sigma Corporation, and 37,396,514 yen from members of Sigma group companies in the world and our business partners, as well as employees of Sigma Corporation, Japan, to “North East Japan Disaster Relief” projected by Japanese Red Cross Society, Fukushima branch.

[The amount of the contribution]
Sigma Corporation 500 million yen
Sigma group, business partners, employees 37,396,514 yen