TOKYO -- A group of some 200 Chinese high school students wrapped up their 9-day visit in Japan on Wednesday and gathered at the Japanese Foreign Ministry before their return on Thursday.

Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso said at the gathering that he hoped the students can take the visit as a start to understand more of Japan. "High school students shoulder the future. Youth exchanges will be a major force in promoting relationships between Japan and China," he said.

The high school students, from various parts of China including Tianjin, Chongqing, Shandong and Jilin, arrived at Tokyo on May 30. They visited Tokyo and other parts of Japan such as Yamagata, Aichi, Osaka and Okinawa prefectures, staying at common Japanese families and mingled with Japanese students.

"Japanese high schools are somewhat different from my school and the local families are very hospitable," a 17-year-old student from Shandong province said.

Zhou Yuanqing, chief of the Chinese student delegation, thanked the Japanese side for making the arrangements. "During the visit, Chinese students and their Japanese counterparts strengthened understandings, which is significant for friendship between the two nations," Zhou said.

This delegation marked the first visit under a so-called " JENESYS Program" launched by Japan this year. According to the program, Japan will invite 6,000 young people from China, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN countries each year to enhance youth exchange. Young Chinese visitors can be as many as 2,000 each year.

Tokyo and Beijing arranged several batches of high school students to visit each other last year, involving at least 1,300 students from both sides.