TSMC announced this Monday that it would donate 250 million yen (US$1.6 million) to help with disaster recovery and reconstruction in the areas affected by the Kumamoto earthquake. The 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, caused widespread damage throughout the region.

The TSMC Charity Foundation has also launched an employee fundraising drive, hoping to help the disaster area complete recovery and reconstruction as soon as possible. 

TSMC said that it has worked hand in hand with Japanese suppliers and partners to support customer innovation and advance the development of the global semiconductor ecosystem. Kumamoto, they said, is one of TSMC’s important global production bases. The company thanked the Japanese government, the Kumamoto prefectural government and other local authorities, as well as local supply chain partners, for their long-standing support.

The company noted that following the earthquake, the Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing (JASM) plant was able to resume operations within a short period of time, thanks to the efforts of local employees and suppliers.

In addition to assisting employees affected by the earthquake, TSMC said they will continue to monitor the local situation going forward and will do its utmost to provide necessary assistance.