On Jan 1, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake hit the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, destroying roads and houses and cutting off supplies of water and electricity, leaving more than 30,000 people in evacuation centers.
As emergency response teams gathered to provide assistance in the area, one company joined the relief efforts in a hands-on way, earning the respect of people not only in the affected region but right across the nation.
The company that pitched in was Yamazaki Baking (or “Yamazaki Pan”), Japan’s premier bread manufacturer and the world’s largest bread-baking corporation. Aside from being beloved for its baked goods, Yamazaki has been winning hearts for going above and beyond in disaster relief situations, distributing food to afflicted regions after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, as well as during blizzards in 2014 and flooding in 2021.
So when the company heard about the earthquake on New Year’s Day, they immediately arranged for a delivery of Yamazaki products to be sent to Ishikawa. While the first three days of the year are meant to be the one official annual holiday period for the company and its employees, it sprang to work, delivering trays upon trays of products to a designated drop-off point in the prefecture.
▼ The moment of delivery was captured in this video, posted on Ishikawa Prefecture’s official Twitter account.
The tweet was retweeted by Japanese politician and Ground Self-Defense Forces officer Masahisa Sato, who also goes by the nickname “Captain Beard”, with the following message:
▼ “Thank you, Yamazaki Pan, for your continued support during times of disaster. The products can be delivered to evacuation centres and the like.”
The original video has been viewed over 18 million times in just a couple of days, with people leaving comments like:
“I’ve become a fan of Yamazaki due to their immediate relief efforts.”
“Yamazaki is more useful than politicians in these situations.”
“I’m so impressed by the company’s attitude and efforts during disasters.
“At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake, I was indebted to Yamazaki Pan for their much-needed assistance. During times of disaster, familiar items like this can make a world of difference.”
“Private companies always have to balance the pursuit of profit with the public interest, so I don’t care if this type of thing helps to promote them — it’s truly exemplary behavior.”
“This makes me want to buy Yamazaki bread so I can help them cover the costs of delivering products to disaster-stricken areas.”
“It takes time for individual donations to reach the people in disaster areas, but large companies can be relied upon to directly deliver the food they need right away, so I always support them.”
With Yamazaki owning their own fleet of trucks and operating out of factories around the country, they’re well placed to act quickly in times of disaster. Here’s hoping their emergency efforts continue long into the future, because when disaster strikes, something as ordinary as a pack of bread or a lunch pack can do more to lift the spirits than emergency rations.
Source: Twitter/@motto_ishikawa via Hachima Kiko
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- Yamazaki Bakery once again donates bread to evacuation centers at almost inhuman speeds
-- Kind-hearted deliverymen hand out truckload of bread to snow-stranded motorists
-- Japanese sandwiches give foreign reporters culture shock at Tokyo Olympics
© SoraNews24
18 Comments
Login to comment
Gene Hennigh
Once again someone comes to the recue. Like the Turkish man giving out hot food, Yamazaki deserves praise. Apparently, workers who were off went back to work to help. Good on them. With the conditions being what they are, it's especially impressive that there are people out there helping. It's good to know that they are doing what they are doing. Here's hoping even more relief comes pouring in.
Elvis is here
In 2011, it was the yakuza to the rescue.
https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/yakuza-quick-to-mount-rescue-operations-in-kyushu
Mr Kipling
Not surprised as bakers are generally exceedingly good people.
JeffLee
It does promote their brand, which is why they do it.
I've long been an investor in PepsiCo which routinely sends food to disasters in the US and worldwide. It's common for other foodmakers as well. I don't know why Yamazaki gets all the praise, as its previous efforts has been reported before by the Japanese media. Maybe because other Japanese foodmakers usually don't do it?
Blacksamurai
I disagree with the cynical comment that Yamazaki helps in a disaster because ''It does promote their brand, which is why they do it'. You've gotta wonder why some people on JT always find something negative in the decent actions of people and companies in Japan.
Yamazaki is a proud Japanese company - and I think they make the best tasting bread, cakes etc in Japan - and would help anyway regardless of any promotional value. They don't really need it as their brand is famous here but don't let that get in the way of negative sniping.
smithinjapan
It's not just Yamazaki, Fujipan also sent out a fleet of trucks to deliver massive amounts of bread there, and I'm sure other companies as well.
JeffLee: "Maybe because other Japanese food makers usually don't do it?"
Definitely not, so I'm not sure why only they are mentioned either. Perhaps they "buy the rights" to the claims by being first or sending the most. Or, as is also often the case, the media chooses a "golden boy" and focuses on that person/group alone.
Blacksamurai
And don't forget that Yamazaki and any other food/beverage company here that is assisting with the disaster relief, would be upping its production quotas due to this emergency demand. This isn't easy unlike what cynical posters imply. And no, I don't care what Pepis Co does - most of us are focused on wishing this relief and recovery process well and giving credit where its due.
wallace
People need food and are hungry. Bread has a short life and needs to be moved quickly. The logistics are difficult in a disaster. Many companies are trying to help those who are suffering.
kohakuebisu
Good on them. The local authorities there should have been better prepared, but its too late for that now. The important thing is to help the victims, which is what Yamazaki et. al are doing.
TokyoLiving
Great, thanks for the helpers..
TokyoLiving
Good for them..
Fighto!
Well done Yamazaki. Great company. Even more reason to get out and buy their amazing, soft and delicious bread now.
Not at all. It's all about social responsibility.
Trapped
Correct, Fightos様, that is also the case for the yakuza.
Hideomi Kuze
Japan's Govt depends private enterprises on food assistance as if it's natural despite highest tax revenues ever, and ruling party politicians who uses this touching story to conceal Govt's slow response.
But they don't think even risk that also those baking companies may suffer damage at next disaster.
BRS
Half- baked article. The central government submitted a request for emergency shipments of bread to the association representing the baking industry, whereupon three of Japan's largest bread makers- Pasco Shikishima, Fujipan, and Yamazaki- collectively sent 115,000 servings of bread (as of January 3).
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ff51e75923f9aab6c16824a56139b92c54eead33
Mark
Well Done, that's how companies give back to the people in times of need. Good Job.
Fighto!
Big up to Yamazaki, Pasco and Fuji-pan. Amazing companies doing what they can.
Speed
I also like their chain of convenience stores. They're offerings are slightly different from the other three well-known stores and their bakery section is of course better.