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Nintendo Head Donates 60 Million - DS, Gamecube, Wii

26th February 2006, 2:23pm
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 How's this for a spot of altruism? Next Generation has reported that former Nintendo head Hiroshi Yamauchi has donated 60 million of his own savings to Kyoto University for an expansion of its hospital.

Unfortunately, there's a bit of ambiguity in news reports. Some have suggested US$60 million (nearly AUD$81 million), while others said it's 60 million yen (roughly AUD$700,000). I considered the sort of expansion that seven hundred thousand dollars could achieve, and came to the conclusion that it's not much at all when you consider the cost of medical equipment. On the other hand, $81 million dollars is a rather staggering amount to donate.

According the the Nikkei, Japan's most prestigious business publication, "it's the largest donation ever made to the hospital, and is also the first time an entire building capable of holding patients will be built using private money." I'm sure that someone would have donated more than AUD$700,000 before, so thus I conclude that - believe it or not - Yamauchi really did donate AUD$81 million.

Good on you.
by Nick Schaedel » Author's Blog