The Yunnan delegation poses for a photograph following their arrival in Iwate, Japan. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

Yunnan University (YNU) sent a group of 45 students to Japan for an exchange visit along with delegations formed by college students from universities across China, on Nov 25. 

The visit came at the invitation of the Japan-China Friendly Center to mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty. 

Organized by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and its counterpart in Yunnan province, the visit lasted from Nov 25 to Dec 1, with around 500 Chinese and Japanese college students taking part. 

The Yunnan delegation, led by YNU’s Vice-President Yang Zeyu, went to Tokyo and Iwate, where they visited local governments, universities, the site of the 311 Japan Earthquake, Yanagawa reservoir and a water recycling center in Shibaura. 

In Tokyo, the Chinese delegation attended a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Friendly Peace and Friendship Treaty, which was also attended by Kiyoto Tsuji, political officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; Yang Yu, Minister-counselor of China’s embassy in Japan and Lin Yi, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. 

The YNU students performed Japanese dancing and singing at the ceremony, winning repeated rounds of applause from the audience. 

The Yunnan delegation also listened to a lecture delivered by Professor Nei Hisanori from Japan National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies on Japan’s energy polices and its measures to tackle environmental issues. 

They also visited a water recycling center in Shibaura where they learned how Tokyo conserved water and dealt with sewage. 

In Iwate, they visited the offices of the local government and met with top officials. They also headed to Iwate University to meet local students and teachers. 

At the historic site for the 311 Japan Earthquake, they planted 50 pine trees as part of efforts to protect the coastline.

YNU students perform local dancing in Yunnan at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty during their visit to Japan, from Nov 25 to Dec 1. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn] 

The YNU delegation holds a banner at the site of the 311 Japan Earthquake where they planted 50 trees. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]