Komatsu Ltd. this week announced plans to provide assistance equivalent to JY 300 million, about U.S. $3.7 million, to assist victims of the devastating earthquakes and tsunami that hit Japan last week. The assistance will include donations of prefabricated structures for use as temporary clinic and care centers, charge-free lending of construction equipment, forklift trucks, temporary housings, power generators and other products Komatsu owns. It will also provide cash donations, and will add additional cash donations made by employees.

Komatsu has formed an emergency task force headed by Kunio Noji, president and CEO. The company is also working to confirm the safety of its employees and their families, as well as its distributors and suppliers, and provide assistance to people affected by the events.

The company said some Komatsu locations have been extensively damaged by the tsunami. Some facilities of the Ibaraki and Oyama plants have been damaged. No substantial damages have occurred at its Kooriyama plant or Komatsu Utility Co.

The company said it is inspecting and repairing facilities at those plants. In some cases, it has already resumed production, however overall production remains indefinite as is the case in some affected suppliers.

Also Hitachi Ltd., based in Tokyo, has pledged JY300 million (about U.S. $3.7 million) to aid victims of the earthquake and tsunami. The company added that several of its buildings have suffered damages, primarily at production facilities in Ibaraki prefecture.