One giant leap for Japan's fans

It is usually seen as one of the world's most staid countries, where the public are respectful, courteous and, above all, quiet. But today cohost nation Japan qualified for the second round of the World Cup and its people let their hair down. In fact, in the words of one observer, they went "absolutely mad".

Millions of ecstatic people poured into city centres across the country in euphoric celebrations at the 2-0 defeat of Tunisia that saw them win their qualifying group. It is Japan's second World Cup and the first time they have qualified for the second stage of the finals, or even won a game.

The most intense partying was in Osaka, where the match was played. Hundreds of youths indulged in the country's newest passion - jumping into the Dotonborigawa river.

Before the competition began, England fans had been warned the Japanese find the sight of bare chests offensive. Yet here was one young man after another taking off not just shirts but every stitch of clothing, before jumping in to raucous cheers.

A police officer used a loudhailer to try to urge the crowd at the bridge at Shinsaibashi-Suji to calm down but his words were almost inaudible beneath the constant chanting of "Nippon".

A sign warned that jumping in the river is dangerous in several languages but the delirious Japanese just used it as a base from which to leap.

In the first hour after the final whistle at least 200 had made the 15ft jump, at least a dozen without their clothes. One man emerged naked, produced a pair of boxer shorts which he put on, then paused only to rearrange his Beckham-homage mohican hair before taking another plunge.

Among those jumping in was English teacher Simon Robinson, 27, from Bristol. "I've lived in Japan for a couple of years now and I could not have imagined seeing people behave like this," he said. Joe Spinks, 21, a management student from Egham, Surrey, said: "The people here have gone completely crazy - it's fantastic.

People have been hugging me and kissing me as if I was one of them. They even chant 'England' when they seen me."

The police had deployed hundreds of precautions to prevent what they called "excessive rowdyism". In the event they could not prevent one of the rowdiest days in Japan's history.

Osaka student Misa Sugioka, 18, said: "It is the best day of my life - the most excited I have been."

Similar scenes occurred across Japan. In Niigata, where England play Denmark tomorrow the city centre was flooded with hundreds of supporters in the dark blue shirt of the national team cheering and hugging each other.

? Moscow was tense today amid fears of new riots after Russia was knocked out by Belgium.

Heavily armed riot police were on standby in streets surrounding the Kremlin after the 3-2 defeat. Officials feared a repeat of the riots after Russia's defeat by Japan on Sunday, leaving two dead including a policeman.

Twenty fans were arrested today, some were allegedly drunk although sales of alcohol have been banned in the city. Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov watched the game at a giant outdoor screen.

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