Apple Donating to Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts

[MacRumors]

Apple CEO Tim Cook today said Apple would be making a donation to support earthquake relief efforts in Japan.

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake (per the USGS) hit the Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island on Tuesday, collapsing buildings and killing at least 34 people.

Japan has a very special place in my heart. We're thinking of everyone as they continue to face the effects of the Kumamoto earthquake and aftershocks. We're grateful to the first responders helping those in need. Apple is making a donation to support relief efforts.— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 30, 2026​

Aftershocks continued on Wednesday and Thursday. Kyushu is the third largest of Japan's four main islands, and it has the second-highest population.

Apple often donates to the Red Cross for relief efforts during natural disasters, but donation amounts are not shared. Last night, Cook said Apple was donating to wildfire relief efforts in France, Spain, and other countries.

Kumamoto was previously hit with a deadly earthquake in 2016, and Apple collected donations for Japan through iTunes.

Article Link: Apple Donating to Japan Earthquake Relief Efforts

 

[applicious84]

Oof. This is really tragic.

Why are some stories about donations for earthquakes on Macrumors considered political while others aren't?

Apple Donating to Myanmar and Thailand Earthquake Relief Efforts

Apple CEO Tim Cook today said Apple will be donating an undisclosed amount towards earthquake relief efforts in Myanmar and Thailand. "Our hearts go out to all those in Myanmar and Thailand affected by the devastating earthquake," said Cook, in a social media post. "Our hearts go out to all...

www.macrumors.com

 

[RALentz]

More accurately: Donation amounts used to be shared, but Apple decided it was bad optics for a company that makes $30B each quarter to donate a measly few million to those suffering a natural disaster.

-R

 

[dandyryan]

lmaooo didn't they JUST increase the prices of iphones in japan?

 

[repoman016]

More accurately: Donation amounts used to be shared, but Apple decided it was bad optics for a company that makes $30B each quarter to donate a measly few million to those suffering a natural disaster.

-R

Which is sad. It doesn't matter if its a thousand dollars or a billion dollars. Contributions to disasters should be praised regardless the ammount, as its not required from anyone...

 

[boswald]

I don't know how anyone could spin this story into a negative, but here we are.

Regardless, I'm glad Apple is donating to those in need. Even if it's just a "paltry" million, that's a million more dollars than they had yesterday, and that could save countless people.

 

[AppleWes]

I don't know how anyone could spin this story into a negative, but here we are.

People who complain it's "not enough" have most likely never donated a single dime themselves.

 

[bg1419]

More accurately: Donation amounts used to be shared, but Apple decided it was bad optics for a company that makes $30B each quarter to donate a measly few million to those suffering a natural disaster.

-R

I wish they wouldn’t donate anything and instead pass that money on as savings on to consumers, then people in affected areas will have more capital to rebuild themselves without needing corporate handouts.

You see how stupid it sounds when you take the most bad-faith, politicized position?

 

[RALentz]

I think a good solution would be to use their mountains of sales and usage data to figure out how much they made in the past year from the people in that area and basically refund that profit back to the area as the disaster relief amount, at a minimum.

-R

 

[MeanStreetsOfMitte]

TSMC has a plant in Kumamoto prefecture--it`s been there for at least a couple years. Owned by the Taiwanese and is a very vital supplier to many of the infrastructure to not only Japan--but companies like Sony & Toyota. Tim Cook has always had an eagle-eye for detail....when visiting Apple Store in Tokyo Ginza he wore a pair of running shoes that collaborated with Sachiko Gals, a charity that has to do with recovery efforts from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (Fukushima prefecture and surrounding Tohoku region)

Yet it must be noted that TSMC has a factory in Kumamoto, where the massive quakes just happened.