Last two giant pandas in Japan set to leave for China

On Sunday, fans of pandas in Japan gathered for the last chance to see twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo before they head back to China this week. Their departure on Tuesday will mean that Japan will not have any pandas for the first time in 50 years, and it seems unlikely that new pandas will come soon due to the tense relations between Tokyo and Beijing. Pandas were first sent from China to Japan in 1972 as a gift to celebrate the warming of diplomatic ties between the two countries. These adorable black-and-white bears quickly became beloved in Japan, leading to a dozen pandas becoming national icons. The twin pandas have drawn huge crowds, even with a one-minute viewing limit per person set by the zoo. Many visitors, some carrying panda toys, cheered for the bears and took pictures of them while they ate bamboo and wandered around. Even those who couldn't get tickets to see the pandas showed up at the zoo to witness the final day. Longtime panda fan Michiko Seki, dressed in a panda-patterned shirt, expressed her joy at seeing the twins looking healthy and eating happily. She was using the same camera she bought when she started taking pictures of their older sister, Xian Xian, who left Japan two years ago. Seki hopes that the pandas won't be caught up in political issues. “They bring great comfort,” she said. “Japan needs pandas, and I hope politicians can resolve this.” China lends pandas to other countries but keeps ownership, even of any cubs born. Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei were born at Ueno Zoo in 2021. When asked about the possibility of sending new pandas to Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated, “I know giant pandas are loved by many in Japan, and we welcome Japanese friends to come visit them in China.”