Seal of the Japanese Red Cross Society
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Abbreviation | JRCS |
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Formation | May 1, 1877 |
Type | Non-governmental organization |
Purpose | Humanitarian |
Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
Location |
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Region served
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Japan |
Membership
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International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement |
Official language
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Japanese and English |
Honorary President
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Empress Michiko of Japan |
Executive President
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Tadateru Konoe |
Website | www |
The Japanese Red Cross Society (日本赤十字社 Nippon Sekijūjisha?) is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross.
The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with the Empress as Honorary President and other imperial family members as vice presidents. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo and local chapters are set up in all 47 prefectures. 9,610,000 individual and 120,000 corporate members belong to the society, which operates 92 Red Cross hospitals and 79 blood centers all over the country. The Japanese Red Cross Society conducts relief activities when major disasters take place. Large earthquakes which frequently occur in Japan (such as the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami) are an area of work for the society.
Count Sano Tsunetami founded the Philanthropic Society (博愛社 Hakuaisha?), a relief organization for the injured of the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877; a modified version of the Japanese flag was used by the organization until 1887. Its name was changed to the Japanese Red Cross Society on 2 September 1887 following Japan's admission to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Later that year, the Society engaged in its first disaster relief after the eruption of Mount Bandai.