The ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of the Diaoyu Islands did little to dampen the enthusiasm of four Japanese university students who were in town to gain first-hand experience of Hong Kong's business culture. As part of a three-week financial training programme organised by Pegasus Fung Managers, Ikue Honda, Naoko Kanehara, Kazuya Shimada and Yuki Yoshikawa spent their time attending lectures and meeting representatives from international corporations such as Bloomberg, HSBC and UBS. The managing director of Pegasus Fund Managers, Paul Pong Po-lam, said he hoped the programme would open more doors to top-tier firms for capable and aspiring students as well as reinforce Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. "In the advent of the Diaoyu disputes, many Hongkongers are biased against the Japanese. But this programme helped locals see that the Japanese students can be hard-working and well-mannered," Pong said, "Following the success of this pilot test, we will take this programme further and invite students from other parts of Asia. I believe that effective communication can bring cultures together." The students praised the city's diversity, culture and people. Yoshikawa, a 22-year-old from Kyoto, said: "I've met many people who enjoyed what they're doing a lot. I've learned that you have to enjoy your work to make it through." Honda was overwhelmed by the city's pace. She said Japan was slower and more peaceful, but the 24-year-old from Kyoto was glad to see gender equality at play in Hong Kong's workplace. "I was surprised on a site visit that women worked as hard as men. I hope women can work in the same positions as men in Japan as well," Honda said. Yoshikawa, who lived in Seattle for a year, liked the healthy mix of East and West. "Hongkongers' mannerisms are like that of the Japanese. For example, they use two hands to present a business card, whereas in the States, people just throw their cards at you. "But Hongkongers are more casual than the Japanese. They call people by their first names most of the time." Kanehara, 22, said Hong Kong had offered her a more international viewpoint. "Japan is an island nation, so we rarely get to talk to foreign people. The diversity in Hong Kong made me want to work in other places too," the undergraduate from Kyoto University said.