Tokyo’s twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will be returned to China in late January, leaving Japan without a resident panda for the first time since 1972. The four-year-old twins were born at Ueno Zoo in 2021 and remain on loan from China; their last public viewing is scheduled for Jan. 25. Officials say strained Japan–China ties make fresh panda loans less likely, though some local governments have requested replacements to preserve people-to-people ties.
Tokyo’s Beloved Twin Pandas to Return to China — Japan Will Be Panda-Free for First Time Since 1972
Xiao Xiao, front, and his sister Lei Lei, twins of giant pandas, sit on the ground at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, March 10, 2023. (Naohiko Hatta/Kyodo News via AP)
Tokyo’s popular twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, are scheduled to return to China in late January, officials said Monday. Their departure will leave Japan without a resident giant panda for the first time since Beijing first sent pandas to Tokyo in 1972.
Born and raised at Ueno Zoological Gardens, the four-year-old twins arrived as cubs in 2021 but remain on loan from China and must be returned by February. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the last day the public can view them is Jan. 25.
Background
The twins’ parents, Shin Shin and Ri Ri, were originally loaned to Japan in 2011 for breeding research and returned to China last year. Under China’s panda loan program, Beijing retains ownership of the animals and any cubs they produce and lends pandas to foreign zoos as a gesture of goodwill.
Diplomatic Context
Officials say prospects for securing replacement pandas appear dim as relations between Tokyo and Beijing have cooled in recent months. Tensions rose after comments from Japan’s prime minister about potential military involvement if China acted against Taiwan, and Beijing subsequently restricted some travel and cultural exchanges with Japan. Chinese military drills near southern Japan and disputes over aircraft activity have further strained ties.
Reactions
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Minoru Kihara, said pandas have long been loved by the Japanese public and expressed hope that "exchanges through pandas will continue" to help sustain people-to-people ties. Several local governments and zoos have urged Chinese authorities to consider new panda loans to Japan.
“Exchanges through pandas have contributed to improving public sentiment between Japan and China, and we hope the relationship will continue,” Kihara said.
While the return of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei marks the end of an era for many Japanese panda fans, zoo staff plan farewell events and public information efforts to celebrate the twins before they depart.
