YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — A dozen upper-level Japanese-language students at Yokota High School entertained a local dignitary last week.

Fussa City mayor Hisato Nozawa, inspired by letters written to him as part of a class assignment, dropped by the school library Wednesday for an hourlong visit and discussion, mostly centered around ways to improve life outside the gates for the American teens on base.

The students, whose messages were written in Japanese, voiced concerns about the lack of entertainment spots, sporting-goods outlets, convenience stores, dollar-yen exchange machines downtown and a wider sidewalk from Yokota’s main gate to the Fussa train station.

They also asked Nozawa about his daily schedule and sleeping habits — and mentioned a desire to see more academic and athletic exchanges between Yokota High School and its Japanese counterparts. One wanted to take part in joint cleanup efforts of the Tama River with local students.

“I was surprised the students studied Japanese culture and language. Their writing was very good, too,” Nozawa said through a translator. He said he knew he wouldn’t be able to respond to all of the letters so he decided to meet the students and get a look at the high school.

“I saw that all the students here are very cheerful and wonderful.”

Kiyomi Uehara, the Japanese teacher at Yokota High School, led the introductions Wednesday, all delivered in Japanese, of course.

Nozawa, Fussa’s vice mayor for eight years before his election to mayor in 2000, spoke about his priorities for the neighboring city, which has a population of about 62,000. Over the next few years, he hopes to oversee construction of a new park and day-care center, as well as renovation of the downtown hospital and city hall — set to begin in 2007.

Following a question-and-answer session, the mayor invited the students to visit city hall. They presented him with a Yokota High School T-shirt and other gifts.

Jennifer Higuchi, a Yokota junior who wrote a letter to Nozawa about widening the sidewalk between the base and Fussa train station said it was exciting to meet the city’s mayor.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance,” she said. “I wouldn’t have met him if we didn’t have to do this assignment. It was fun because we could ask just about any questions.”

Senior Elliko Heimbach, who’s headed to the University of Hawaii on a swimming scholarship this fall, told the mayor she’d like to see more athletic events between Yokota and Japanese high schools off-base.

When she was born at Yokota’s base hospital in the late ’80s, Heimbach received a young jasmine tree from Fussa City officials. Her family took it to her grandmother’s home and planted it.

“I never got a chance to meet [the mayor] before,” she said. “I love the scent of jasmine flowers. I’m glad I could say ‘thank you’ to him for that.”