Japan vending machines are offering Diet Cokes with a side of good deeds. Helping the calamity-hit Japan isn’t all that difficult now, with Coca Cola and Japanese Red Cross teaming up to bring a few tweaks to vending machines. Japan currently is one of the world’s largest users of vending machines, with a machine for every 23 people according to statistics. 

The Tone Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and Japanese Red Cross are trying to squeeze some good out of Japan’s favorite sidewalk accessory, casting the machine into a better light after Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara grumbled about the energy-sucking vending machines as Tokyo stared down a power crunch this summer. The groups installed donation boxes in about 100 vending machines late last month. The collection-box-fortified machines are scattered around three prefectures – Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi.

Rather than collect the change from a canned coffee or sweet soda, customers can elect to donate it to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami relief fund set up by the Japanese Red Cross. Donations can be made in ¥10 or ¥100 increments. After making a donation, a voice pipes up thanking customers for their good deed of the day.

One hundred percent of the money collected will go toward relief efforts. 

The collection boxes will be available until Sept. 30.

So go ahead, Japan: Drink and donate.

(Japan Realtime)