Chinese student in Japan reflects on journey from AI to real friends
Lin Fangfei hopes to work in Japan and contribute to strengthening business and cultural relations between China and Japan. (Shota Tomonaga)
A 22-year-old Chinese exchange student has been awarded the top prize in the 20th annual Japanese language essay contest for Chinese nationals with her candid reflections on her initial struggles in Japan.
Lin Fangfei impressed the judges with her writing about her journey toward making a meaningful human connection.
When Lin arrived in Japan last spring to study at Ritsumeikan University in Osaka, her closest companion was not a classmate or local friend, but 'Yume-chan' ('Miss Dream')—the name she gave to an artificial intelligence chatbot she used to practice Japanese.
She found comfort in chatting with the AI, especially when real conversations with Japanese students felt daunting.
However, Lin gradually realized that she was missing a crucial element in communication: empathy.
'I got used to talking to the AI and stopped thinking about how real people feel,' she wrote in her award-winning essay.
At the award ceremony held in Tokyo, Lin spoke about timeless human values.
'Even as times change, the importance of people meeting, helping one another and connecting heart-to-heart remains the same,' she said.
Born in Jining, Shandong province, in eastern China, Lin was inspired to study Japanese after watching Studio Ghibli films, captivated by the beauty of the landscapes they depicted.
She majored in Japanese at her Chinese university before coming to Japan to study business management.
Her favorite Japanese word is 'mamoru,' meaning 'to protect.' To Lin, it represents the responsibility of passing on what has been inherited from the past to future generations.
This belief was reflected in her undergraduate thesis, which compared silk textile cultures in China and Japan. She praised Japanese museums that let visitors try traditional weaving, seeing such interactive methods as a model for cultural preservation in China.
Looking ahead, Lin hopes to work for a Japanese manufacturer, developing products and services that blend Chinese technological innovations with Japan's renowned spirit of hospitality.
Despite the challenges posed by political tensions in Sino-Japanese relations, she dreams of fostering collaboration between the two nations.
This spring, Lin begins her graduate studies at Ritsumeikan University. With more Japanese friends around her now, her days with Yume-chan are behind her.
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