Forbes Asia has named Japanese rock star YOSHIKI one of Asia’s 30 Heroes of Philanthropy in 2019.
Forbes ’ 13th annual Heroes of Philanthropy list honors billionaires, entrepreneurs, and celebrities who are committed to solving the most pressing issues facing the Asia-Pacific, including Jack Ma (former chairman of Chinese multinational conglomerate Alibaba ), Azim Premji (founder and chairman of India’s giant tech firm Wipro ), and Suh Kyung-bae (CEO of Amorepacific Group , South Korea’s largest cosmetics company).
Forbes highlights YOSHIKI’s ongoing commitment to world change through his 501(c)(3) Yoshiki Foundation America , which has raised over $1.5 million dollars in its mission for disaster relief, environmental recovery, cancer research, and education in Japan and the United States as well as other areas worldwide.
Forbes : “Asia’s 2019 Heroes of Philanthropy: Catalysts for Change” HERE .
In 2019 alone, YOSHIKI donated $100,000 to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Earth Alliance to combat Amazon forest fires, 10 million yen to support victims and survivors of the Kyoto Animation Fire , $90,000 to disaster relief for forest fires in South Korea , 10 million yen to Japan’s Chiba prefecture which suffered a devastating blow from Typhoon Faxai , and 10 million yen to aid Typhoon Hagibis victims in Eastern Japan , and $150,000 to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music .
In previous years, YOSHIKI donated 10 million yen in 2018 for heavy rain disaster in Western Japan and 10 million yen the same year to victims of the Eastern Iburi earthquake . In 2017, YOSHIKI donated $100,000 to disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas through the Recording Academy’s MusiCares® Foundation .
In 2016, YOSHIKI donated 10 million yen to the victims of the Kumamoto earthquakes . In 2015, his band X JAPAN donated 28 million yen to the earthquake reconstruction of Ishinomaki . In addition, YOSHIKI has contributed to numerous other charities since creating his foundation in 2010.
YOSHIKI’s ongoing charity work includes supporting the Japanese Red Cross, the Make A Wish Foundation, the Grammy Foundation and multiple other organizations including the Pablove Foundation which supports children with childhood cancer.