I have a question

[xXSakura-chanxX67]

I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong spot, but is saying I like you as a friend and I love you written the same?  

[Starry Starry Fright]

xXSakura-chanxX67

I'm sorry if I'm posting in the wrong spot, but is saying I like you as a friend and I love you written the same?

Context is absolutely everything.

There is a way to say "I love you" - [object of your affection] wo aishite imasu.
That expression is, beyond any doubt, an expression of love. There's no misconstruing it. Unfortunately, it's a bit formal and over-the-top for most people; most couples don't use it very often, if at all.

The expression that is almost always used is "[object of affection] suki desu". It does literally translate to "I like you", but in the proper context, it's used for "I love you".

The thing to understand is that the Japanese don't see a need to express their love verbally the same way that Westerners do. They tend to find the idea embarrassing and unnecessary; you should express your feelings for your partner through actions, not words. Like I said, context is everything; if you're having a conversation with a person about your deep, innermost feelings and you say "I like you", they're probably going to assume you have romantic intentions.