Comparison of Japan and US: GDP and Tsunami Pledges

[usregimechange]

Japan
Population: 125,931,533
GDP: $4.19 trillion
Tsunami Pledge: 500 million

United States (under the Bush Admin.)
Population: 270,311,758
GDP: $8.40 trillion
Tsunami Pledge: 350 million

"Japan," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Demographic and economic numbers based on 1997 data.

[peacetalksforall]

1. Please clarify - is 350 million the equivalent of

35 million pledged by Bush
and $315 million donated directly by citizens to Salvation Army, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, etc.?

IfBush upped the pledge from 35 million to 350 million, can someone please tell me when it was and whether it was in a follow-up press conference or who announced it. If upped to 350 mil from 35 mil, I missed it including whatever hoopla rhetoric that went along with it.

This is an important distinction. A combined total is a piece of propaganda, especially if the Japan commitment came from the government.

Lastly, it is only a pledge and we know what happened to other pledges.