10/20/2005

FOCUS: Mobile phone-using ‘Red Feather’ campaign launched
TOKYO– A mobile phone-using fundraising system made its debut in the annual “Red Feather” campaign which began on Oct. 1, enabling those who are hesitant to stop in front of people holding collection boxes and make contributions to easily donate money….
“The ‘Red Feather’ campaign is widely supported by middle-aged and elderly people, but we would like to lure young people in their teens and 20s,” said Atsushi Fukui, chief of the accounting section of the Central Community Chest of Japan…..”QR code” printed nationwide to enable users of camera-equipped mobile phones to read them….

Japan’s train stations have a strange gantlet to run every October—mumbling elderly and squealing teenage volunters selling akai hane (赤い羽) red lapel feathers for donations to the Community Chest charity. In the past, no salaryman could show up at work without wearing one of these red lapel feathers. However, today’s corporate restructurings, flextime, working online, and general social apathy has made Red Feather sales plumet.

Never fear–it’s Japan’s beloved Keitai (携帯電話) cellphones to the rescue! Using QR codes and online web donations, the Community Chest of Japan is trying to boost more modern donations.

Running the “Red Feather Charity Drive” (赤い羽根募金), the Community Chest of Japan is the affiliate of United Way International. Read more about the Red Feather on their English website.
Watch the TV commercial of Japan’s Red Feather/ Community Chest featuring their poster girl, Japanese actress Satomi Ishihara shown here (in Japanese of course),