Donations to the red feather community chest campaign in Hokkaido fell about 40% from a year earlier to ¥66.77 million by the end of October, as the disappearance of roughly ¥250 million in donations at the Hokkaido Community Chest weighed on the annual drive, Kyodo News reported.
Nationwide, the campaign collected ¥2.65643 billion, down about 3.7% on the same month last year, according to figures compiled by the Central Community Chest of Japan, the national body based in Tokyo.
The shortfall in Hokkaido was far steeper than the national decline. Groups and individuals across the prefecture have been declining to take part in the campaign, which began on October 1.
Emergency grants
The Hokkaido Community Chest, based in Sapporo, is at the center of the dispute over donations whose use could not be accounted for. At the Hokkaido organization's request, the Central Community Chest has decided to issue about ¥176 million in emergency grants.