PopCap Games raised more than $200,000 this past weekend for Japan’s earthquake relief efforts by donating proceeds from mobile app sales to the International Red Cross. It is part of a big effort by Washington companies to help Japan, with Gov. Chris Gregoire noting in remarks last night that Washington state businesses have donated more than $7 million to relief efforts.
“We want to challenge all of us — particularly all of us who have families and friends and do trade with those in Japan — to open up our checkbooks and open up our hearts,” said Gov. Gregoire, speaking at Monday night’s Trader of the Year Awards Reception in Seattle. Gregoire added that there will be a short-term negative impact on Washington’s economy as a result of the devastation in Japan.
But long-term, she said, it will be a positive. “We will help rebuild Japan through many of our companies and our people,” she said.
Japan is the No. 3 trading partner of Washington, the most trade dependent state in the country by many estimates.
John Cook is co-founder of GeekWire. Follow on Twitter: @geekwirenews.