PS3 owners contribute $1.3M to Japan's recovery

Japan's disaster relief efforts are receiving a nice little power-up, thanks to purchases and donations from PlayStation 3 owners. Sony has announced that contributions totaling $1.32 million (¥109.6 million) to Japan relief efforts via the Great East Japan Earthquake relief campaign on the PlayStation Network. (via GamesIndustry.biz)

Launched in the West on March 19 and in Asia on March 24, the program is active in forty countries. The British Red Cross, the American Red Cross, the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund, and the Central Community Chest of Japan/Red Feather Community Chest Movement for Japan and Asia will use the funding to enhance relief efforts in the affected regions.

Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, reinforced Sony's continuing efforts to contribute to Japan's recovery. "While we continue to make every effort to help the recovery of the affected communities in the region," he said, "I would like to express our gratitude to every single PlayStation user across the world who made a contribution to the effort."