The Japanese community in Malta has raised more than €12,000 for animal welfare organisations, as reported by the Times of Malta, following a string of brutal cat killings by a Japanese resident.Crowdfunding organiser Naoki Yasuzawa said his friendship group was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the attacks, stressing that the actions of one man do not reflect the values of Japanese people.The fundraiser, launched on 13th August, has so far attracted over 400 contributions and will run until mid-September. Funds will be distributed to local animal welfare organisations.The campaign comes after 31-year-old Okamura Satoshi admitted to killing several cats in Sliema, luring them with treats before violently attacking them. Footage captured one incident in which a cat was slammed to the ground.Satoshi’s sentence is due on 15th September, with activists demanding the maximum penalty. An online petition has collected more than 9,400 signatures, many from Japanese citizens apologising and condemning the crimes.Credit: Times of Malta•