Government yesterday promised to match up to $50,000 in donations to the Bermuda Red Cross Japan Quake/Tsunami Disaster Fund.Northern Japan was struck by the strongest earthquake in the nation’s recorded history last Friday. That event was followed by a catastrophic tsunami.The disaster also damaged several of the country’s nuclear facilities, causing workers to battle for days in an effort to prevent a nuclear meltdown.Almost 13,000 people have been confirmed dead or missing estimates suggest that number will rise dramatically in the coming days.Almost half a million survivors are now living in temporary shelters.In a statement yesterday, Premier Paula Cox said: “No-one in Bermuda can be unmoved by the tragic events that have taken place in Japan.“We have seen media reports with pictures showing a landscape of destruction, a distraught nation. “The islands of Japan are a valued partner of Bermuda, but more important, the people of Japan are part of the human family.“We are prepared to support them in ways that we can.”A Government spokeswoman encouraged the public to donate to the Red Cross fund. Accounts have been set up at both Butterfield Bank and HSBC.