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Updated Sunday, September 18, 2011 11:32 pm TWN, The China Post news staff



	Six Japanese swimmers and their support team chant slogans in Okinawa yesterday before starting a two-day voyage across rough seas to Taiwan. (CNA) More Photos (2)

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Japanese swimmers embark on journey of gratitude to Taiwan

Six Japanese swimmers braved strong waves yesterday as they embarked on a two-day voyage from Japan's Okinawa to Taiwan to show gratitude to Taiwanese for the generous donations in the wake of March 11 earthquake-tsunami that hit their country.

The swimmers started from Yonaguni, a small island of Okinawa, at about 7 a.m. despite two-meter high waves and a typhoon in the Pacific Ocean, aiming to reach northeastern Taiwan tomorrow morning.

They are swimming against the Kuroshio current, one of the strongest in the Pacific Ocean, carrying with them letters from their fellow countrymen who want to express their gratitude to Taiwanese for their donations.

Team leader Kazuya Suzuki said he was surprised to learn that Taiwan donated over 20 billion yen for the disaster relief, and that President Ma Ying-jeou appeared on TV to help raise funds.

“Therefore I decided to express our gratitude to Taiwan through some form of real action,” Suzuki was cited by the United Evening News as saying before starting their relay across the rough waters.

The swimmers, accompanied by a fishing boat carrying 17 members of their support team, are expected to reach their destination, Suao, Yilan County, at about 10 a.m., the United Evening News said.

A local team of over 100 swimmers will be greeting them about 300 meters from the Suao shore when the Japanese arrive, the paper added.

A reception for the swimmers will be hosted at a Taipei hotel tomorrow night, where they will read aloud the letters of gratitude from Japan, including one from residents of Fukushima, the area hardest-hit by the earthquake-tsunami.

Taiwan was the biggest donor of all countries in the wake of March 11 disaster. But the Japanese government previously failed to officially acknowledge the help until its new prime minister formally expressed the country's gratitude this week.

Suzuki, an employee of Panasonic, said the voyage was also a personal challenge to swim against the Kuroshio current and it would leave a sweet memory.

Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said the seas off northeastern Taiwan were rough with waves as high as 1.5 meters yesterday. It predicted even higher waves for today.

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Comments

September 18, 2011 selly lo @

Thanks to TAIWAN (R.O.C.), thanks to the current government and private sector.

September 18, 2011 therines@

What a wonderful courageous way to acknowledge kindness received. The people of Japan are amazing despite of its loss, they still find way how to say thank you in an incredible way.

September 19, 2011 standup3688@

Despite their best intentions, they still forgot to check how to actually write "台灣". Sigh... 功虧一簣。

September 21, 2011 mtsai16@

@ standup3688

Eagle eye!

September 22, 2011 talltexan2@

Amazing to swim against a current-- that is really challenging, even in a relay format --the Swimmers in Taiwan, Japan and the rest of the world are very special. I enjoyed the meets I swam around Taiwan in 1992 & 1993