Confused as to how she felt

Hi, As the title says, I'm seriously confused as to how this Japanese girl is feeling about me. I'll start off with the details I guess?
I'm currently 16 in highschool (please don't judge!) and I've been learning Japanese for a few years now. However, our Japanese class had an opportunity this year to go on and exchange to Japan. This meant that I would be hosting a student from Japan, and when I go over to Japan , I would be hosted by the same family.
So, a month ago, the Japanese students arrived and we obviously all had a good time. This is where the catalyst for my confusion started. This girl, let's call her A, seemed to start taking interest me. I didn't really know or talk to her before, but since we were in the same 'friend' group and she was willing to be friends, I obviously wouldn't mind being friends with her too. She would take alot of pictures of me, and by alot, I mean 100+ over a day of photos of only me. She would get all touchy with me even in public, always hugging me, and holding my arm tighly, like we were a couple haha. She even posted all the 100 photos on Facebook, naming the album of the photos "I love youu". Over the days, You could say that I slowly fell for her too.
After she left, we would LINE each other, and she would always say things to me such as "I fell in love with you," or "I miss you" and being the cheesy guy I am, I would reply with the same things, and she wouldn't mind. One day, while we were messaging, She suddenly told me that she wanted a boyfriend. With all that she had said to me, and this last "hint" that she wanted a boyfriend, I thought that if I asked her out, she would definitely say yes. So I said something on the lines of "will you be my girlfriend?" Her response was not I was expecting though. She said to me that "Of course I like you but I want you to be my friend:("
I am seriously confused as to how she felt about me before, after receiving that response. The thing is, I'm also heading over to Japan this weekend for the exchange. I know I'm still young, and I know that LDR's rarely work, so I'm not expecting much. How should I act around her in Japan? I shouldn't be as touchy as were in Australia right?
Thankyou for listening if you actually bothered to read the whole thing!

All girls take such actions.
She likes you but is too shy to say directly. Sometimes she deny what you say that she wanted you to say.
There is a classic Japanese proverb "Girls mind with autumn sky". This is, girls mind are vary like autumn weather, sometimes hot, warm, cool, chilly, gusty, storm, windy and calm. You can't predict what will happen next.

@Tokyo Friend
thanks for the reply! yeah that quote really does summarise up how girls think. How do you think I should act around her after this incident though?

I say don't pay attention to her much because it seems she wanted your attention and when she got it she suddenly isn't interest in you. I can't say she's shy becaise a shy girl wouldn't do that.

Silly Japanese teenager girl just want to experience with temporary exotic foreign "boyfriend" during language exchange. Then after she go back to Japan, she is done with you. Both of you are very young. It better off being friend. Don't get your hope high and just move on your life and continue study Japanese and make more friends until you find a better one.

@...
True! she doesn't come off as the shy type of person at all. But she also doesn't seem like the type that would try to steal attention, as she was already "popular" when she came over...

She's doing what a lot of girls do bro, playing mind games with you. If I were you, I'd immediately reduce the amount of contact I have with her.

Maybe not ignore her completely, but I'd definitely change my demeanor towards her. Cut out the lovey messages, stop sending little smiley and heart emoticons. Short, direct answers to anything she asks, NEVER initiate any conversation with her. Let her know that you don't appreciate having your gut cut open so she can experiment with your feelings (which is what she IS doing).

She played with your mind by throwing out all those signals and then said "let's be friends" after she practically did everything possible to get you to ask her out. She had her fun, got you to try to commit to her, was probably a nice little boost to her self. Don't waste your valuable time on people that are wishy-washy.

Find other friends when you come to Japan, you are very likely to have your pick of the litter, so to speak. Hang out with people that have more honest intentions and don't play mind games..

ahaTree
at 16, that's puppy love.

she was already "popular" when she came over...
That means she has many suitors back in Japan.
In a foreign country she picked on you as the support/goto guy.
Poor delusional you - you thought you could score but the cards are stacked against you from day zero(not day one).

Live and learn, Move on