The group, all from Central Japan's Hokuriku region, arrived in China last Sunday for a 10-day exchange programme organized by Hokuriku University's Confucius Institute, an academy that teaches Chinese and promotes Chinese culture in the region.

According to their different interests, the participants have been divided into seven smaller groups "History and Culture," "Chinese Medicine," "Chinese Economy," "Chinese Food," "Chinese Language," "Teachers," and "Senior Middle School Students."

The groups have different travel routes in seven Chinese cities: Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, Shanghai, Dalian, Shenyang and Lanzhou. On Friday, they all gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to receive a warm welcome from senior Chinese officials.

"Exchanges between Japanese and Chinese people, especially the young, are important for the future of Sino-Japanese relations," Xu Jialu, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said at the welcoming ceremony.

He expressed his hope that the students, mainly from Hokuriku's senior middle schools and universities, could learn the truth about China during their trip and be "goodwill ambassadors" after they return to Japan.

Yan Hongsheng, director of the Confucius Institute, the organizer of the trip, said it is of great significance to promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Japanese people especially "when bilateral relations are now in difficulty.

"I hope the tour can be an enlightening first-hand experience for the students," she said.

Terada Yuka, a sophomore at Hokuriku University who has studied Chinese language for more than a year, said what she saw in China is different from the Japanese media portrayal of the country.

"I burst into tears last April when I watched Chinese people's anti-Japanese protests on TV, because I love China and its culture," she said. "I intended to come to China last year, but my family worried about my safety."

"But after my arrival in China, I find Chinese people very friendly," she said. "What has been reported in Japan is not the real China."

When asked what she found to be the most interesting aspect of China, Terada said she likes Chinese architecture and the country's delicious food.

(China Daily 08/26/2006 page2)