Japanese rock star donates $100k to prevent destruction of the Amazon rainforest
Yoshiki, — internationally renowned, composer, classically-trained pianist, rock drummer and leader of the rock group X Japan — has announced his support for Earth Alliance and its Amazon Forest Fund.
Yoshiki has donated $100k to Earth Alliance and its Amazon Forest Fund in support of local efforts on the ground that are working to support the indigenous and local communities that are protecting the land and biodiversity. After hearing about the increasing fires throughout the Amazon region, Yoshiki discovered the newly launched Earth Alliance and reached out to make the donation through his 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Yoshiki Foundation America.
Yoshiki chose to donate to the Amazon Forest Fund and Earth Alliance, which is hosted by Global Wildlife Conservation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Earth Alliance is a new organization co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio in order to help address the urgent threats to our planet’s life support systems.
Yoshiki’s donation to aid in the Amazon rainforest crisis continues the acclaimed musician’s international humanitarian work, which includes disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas and a ten million yen donation earlier this month in support of the victims and survivors of the Kyoto Animation Fire.
All funds donated to the Amazon Forest Fund and Earth Alliance are distributed directly to local partners and the indigenous communities that are protecting the Amazon, the incredible diversity of wildlife that lives there, and the health of the planet overall. The following local organizations are protecting indigenous lands, providing relief to the communities impacted and will benefit from the Amazon Forest Fund:
“The Amazon fires deserve the world’s attention,” states Yoshiki. “I want to encourage people in every nation, including Japan, to take action.”
Yoshiki is known for his philanthropic efforts. In 2011, the Japanese rocker made headlines by donating 11 million yen to support victims of the Great East Japan earthquake. That same year, his band X Japan donated all performance fees from their festival appearances to the Tohoku earthquake support efforts. In 2015, X Japan donated 28 million yen to the earthquake reconstruction of Ishinomaki.
In 2016, Yoshiki donated an additional six million yen to earthquake disaster reconstruction in Japan. Yoshiki also donated ten million yen to the victims of the Kumamoto earthquakes and gave $100k to the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas through the Recording Academy’s charity foundation MusiCares.
In 2018, he donated ten million yen to the reconstruction effort after massive flooding in Japan and ten million yen to victims of the Eastern Iburi earthquake.
In 2019, Yoshiki donated $150k to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music to support music education and 10 million yen in support of the victims and survivors of the Kyoto Animation fire.
Yoshiki’s ongoing charity work includes supporting the Japanese Red Cross, the Make A Wish Foundation, the Points of Light Foundation, the Grammy Foundation, and multiple other organizations.
