Japan thanks Lai for quake concern

KUMAMOTO RESPONSE: Taiwan’s major convenience store chains and PXPay Plus have partnered with a social welfare organization to launch a fundraising campaign By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA Add TT as Preferred Source Japan yesterday thanked President William Lai (賴清德) for his immediate and heart-warming message following the Kumamoto earthquake, saying that Taiwan has always been the first to extend a helping hand when the nation is hit by disaster.Japan-Taiwan Exchange Foundation Representative Kazuyuki Katayama on social media thanked Lai and others for their concern, adding that Japan would announce ways to contribute to disaster relief once it is fully apprised of the situation.Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at about 4:27pm on Tuesday, with buildings co