[1]Six Japanese men completed a treacherous 120-kilometre swim relay to Taiwan on Monday to thank the island for its help after Japan's deadly tsunami.
The six young men took the plunge on Saturday despite the threat of shark attacks and strong Pacific Ocean currents, for the relay swim from Yonakuni, a Japanese islet 110 kilometres east of Taiwan.
The group were flanked by several Taiwanese coastguard vessels as they swam near Suao, a major fishing port in northeastern Ilan county, and hundreds of people waved the national flags of Taiwan and Japan as they arrived.
"We did it! We did it! Thank you Taiwan!" group leader Suzuki Kazuya shouted passionately as the swimmers hugged each other when they reached a beach near Suao after the 72-mile swim.
The swimmers, all aged between 20 and 30, brought a letter of gratitude from the local chiefs of three prefectures hit by the deadly tsunami in March.
Taiwan donated more than 20 billion yen ($2.6 billion) to Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami, making it one of the top donors.
Taiwan maintains cordial ties with Japan despite its past as a Japanese colony from 1895 to 1945, and despite the fact that Tokyo recognises Beijing over Taipei.
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