It is rare for such a large contingent of foreign military personnel to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park where the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the monument known as the A-Bomb Dome are located.

The visit to the park took place at the recommendation of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, according to the MSDF.

The 5,470-ton Zhenghe with some 360 crew members on board arrived at Etajima port in Hiroshima Prefecture on Thursday on a visit aimed at promoting friendly relations between the two countries.

It is the second such port call in Japan made by a Chinese naval vessel following one in November 2007 in Tokyo.

The crew members exchanged opinions with MSDF personnel and played soccer and volleyball together.

On Sunday they plan to visit the Yamato Museum, which displays a one- tenth scale model of the Japanese World War II battleship Yamato, in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, before leaving Japan on Monday.