The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas is preparing to offer to host victims of the Japanese tsunami.
The Marianas Visitors Authority says people have been offering their homes and the next step will be to communicate the offer to the Japanese government.
The authority's director Perry Tenorio says the Northern Marianas has historical ties with Japan, which occupied the islands between the world wars, and there is a strong Japanese community there.
He says the authority met yesterday with several Japanese non-profit organisations about the proposal, which has now become a community effort
"There are some people in the community that's willing to open their house up to homestay people that were displaced from the incident that happened in Japan. But more so we are looking at other ways, we are looking at a fundraising effort and what ever money is connected will be donated back to that community in Japan."
Perry Tenorio says people will be able to make donations during a street market on Thursday night, and donation boxes may be placed at other locations.
