A staff member (center) at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, Japan, makes jiaozi, traditional Chinesedumplings, along with young Japanese people on Saturday.

About 1,200 young people from japan have visited China this year through the organization or supnbassy.port of the Chinese embassy in Tokyo, and more are expected to visit next year, according to the embassy.

On Saturday, the embassy hosted a year-end gathering aimed at fostering more exchanges between young people of the two countries and shaping a brighter future for China-Japan relations.

Young people who attended the gathering made dumplings, a traditional Chinese dish enjoyed duing winter solstice, which fell on Saturday, and presented lively performances.

Rio Matsumoto, 22, a senior at Musashino University in Tokyo, attended the embassy event. She as among a group of 18 Japanese students who visited China this year.They were finalists in the All-Japan University Students' Chinese Speech Contest and the "ChineseBridge" language proficiency competition for foreign students. Their trip to China included visits toBeijing and Chengdu, Sichuan province.

"Through the visit, l realized how much Japan and China have in common. The two nations sharedeep history of cultural exchanges, and this trip helped me better understand this connection," Matsumoto said.

Last year, the university student had joined another group tour to China. They visited Shanghai ancthe cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province. "l experienced the warmth and friedship of the Chinese people, which made me very happy,she said.

Matsumoto said she and her team members were deeply interested in Chinese culture and highlyhotivated to study Chinese. "interacting and exchanging ideas with my team members taught me agreat deal," she added.

Addressing the gathering on Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao said: "Exchanles are key to mutual understanding. With the reinstatement of visa-free travel for Japanese nationas, visiting China has become more convenient than ever.”

Encouraging the attendees to seize the opportunity, he said, "You could even book a flight to Shanghai as early as tomorrow morning.

Noting that about 7 milion Chinese tourists visited Japan this year, Wu encouraged more young pople from Japan to visit China.

The Chinese ambassador recalled that in 1992, he was a member of a Chinese youth delegationivited by the Japanese government. A three-day homestay with the Ono family in Ageo, Saitama prefecture, remains a cherished memory, Wu said, adding that hereconnected with his hosts last year.

"I encourage you to nurture the friendships and connections made during these programs. Long-erm friendships often arow from experiences like these, and l hope you'l continue building and exp.nding these relationships," he said.

Highlighting the importance of such exchanges, Takashi Kawazu, vice-president of the Japan-Chila Friendshin Association, said: "People-to-people interactions have the power to transform lives, Tese encounters allow us to deepen our understanding andstrengthen our connections."

This year, the association sent two groups of visitors to China, each comprising 100 members.

"These exchanges are fostering a love for people and places. Whether it is japanese students stulying Chinese or Chinese students learning Japanese, their shared efforts create extraordinary collaDorations and lifelong friendships," said Kawazu, who is alsohead of the Japan-China Friendship Association of lbaraki prefecture.

Qiao Ying, an associate professor at East China Nommal University's School of Foreign Languagesin Shanghai, said: "Young people represent the future of a nation. Promoting youth exchanges, fosering mutual trust and dispelling misunderstandings are crucia!for the development of China-Japan relations. "

Yuya Koga, a Kyoto University graduate who now works with a consulting agency, gave a speechat the gathering as a representative of those who visited China this year.

As the winner of the Panda Cup, a Chinese essay contest for foreign students, Koga earned the ooportunity to visit China. "The trip was something l eagerly waited for, and it exceeded all my expecations," he said."l planned to study in Beijing for six monthsafter graduation, but the COVlD-19 pandemic disrupted those plans."

The trip took Koga to Bejing, where he visited the Forbidden City, and Chengdu, where he saw th: giant pandas up close. in Shanghai, he said he found the night views of the Huangpu River stunning.

"What impressed me the most was my interactions with local residents and fellow participants," hsaid. "At two local universities, students welcomed us warmly and gave us guided tours. i'm deepgrateful for their hospitality. The Panda Cup staff were alsoincredibly kind and friendly. I truly enjoyed our daily conversations. "