Japan Bids Emotional Farewell to Its Last Two Pandas as They Return to China
Japanese panda lovers gathered in large numbers on Sunday at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoological Gardens for a final glimpse of the country’s last two giant pandas, twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, ahead of their return to China.
The pair are scheduled to leave Japan on Tuesday, marking the first time in more than 50 years that the country will be without pandas. Prospects for new arrivals remain uncertain, with diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing at their lowest point in years.
China first sent pandas to Japan in 1972 as a gesture to celebrate the normalization of diplomatic relations. Since then, the black-and-white bears have become beloved national icons, drawing huge crowds and inspiring a vast array of merchandise and fan communities.
Despite a one-minute viewing limit imposed by the zoo, thousands of visitors packed the panda zone on Sunday. Many waved panda-themed toys, called out the twins’ names and captured photos and videos as the bears munched bamboo and wandered around their enclosure.
Born at Ueno Zoo in 2021, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei remain the property of China, which lends pandas to overseas zoos under long-term conservation and research agreements. Asked about the possibility of sending new pandas to Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said panda lovers in Japan were welcome to visit them in China.
Among the devoted fans was web engineer Takahiro Takauji, who has visited the zoo daily for years and documented the pandas’ lives through millions of photographs. During the final viewing, he raised his camera above the crowd, taking thousands of shots to capture every movement of the twins.
“Having seen them since birth, they are like my own children,” Takauji said. “I never imagined there would come a day when pandas would be gone from Japan.”
The departure comes amid heightened political, trade and security tensions between Japan and China, including disputes over Taiwan and the East China Sea. These strains have cast doubt on when, or if, pandas might return to Japan.
The absence of pandas is also expected to have a significant economic impact. Experts estimate that Ueno Zoo and surrounding businesses could lose up to 20 billion yen ($128 million) annually without the crowd-pulling animals.
Still, hope remains among fans and shop owners alike. “Pandas are a symbol of Ueno,” said souvenir shop manager Asao Ezure. “We believe they will come back, so we’re not changing anything.”
For now, Japan closes a chapter that began more than half a century ago, as its last two pandas prepare to head home.
