FIFA will donate about $6 million in aid to help Japanese football recover from the damage of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster, Japan’s football chief said Thursday. Of the sum, $4.5 million will help J-League clubs, including champions Kashima Antlers, repair stadiums and training facilities damaged by the 9.0-magnitude quake, Japan Football Association president Junji Ogura said.
Football’s world governing body will also give the remaining $1.5 million to build or repair training grounds in the worst-hit northeastern prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, Ogura told a news conference. FIFA will also donate balls, shirts, boots and other football equipment worth $500,000 to some 15,000 children in the disaster-hit areas through official sponsor Adidas, he added. Ogura requested such help when FIFA president Sepp Blatter visited Japan in late May. “I am grateful for the answer. We feel much obliged,” he said.
“I will listen to what they actually need in the disaster areas.” The national association itself has donated some 200 million yen ($2.5 million) to the disaster zones by organising a domestic all-star charity match in Osaka on March 29.