My sister was an exchange student in Japan her senior year, and we ourselves have taken in cultural exchange students from Japan, while my cousin teaches English in Japan and has been posting on his Facebook status the conditions him and his family are going through--running out of food, transportation being difficult, gas stations out of fuel, and the frequent aftershocks. In addition, we have friends both stationed or working for the U.S. Navy in Japan, so we feel a close connection to the country. My heartfelt prayers go out to those suffering and in pain and those who lost homes and loved ones. I also pray the nuclear disaster is contained and these are no further victims.
Living in the Pacific Northwest and having experienced earthquakes, including the Nisqually quake of 2001, I have no doubt that it is not if but when a big one will hit us, and know the people of Japan will reach out to us just as we have reached out to them.
One way we can help is through donations to relief efforts. I recommend these sites.
American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
Love, support, and prayers.