Tokyo zoo prepares for final viewing of giant panda twins before return to China

Japanese panda fans gathered to Ueno Zoo on Sunday for the last public viewing of twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei before their scheduled return to China on Tuesday.

Their departure will leave Japan without any pandas for the first time in 50 years, and with Tokyo-Beijing relations at a low, chances of replacements appear slim.

China first gifted pandas to Japan in 1972 to mark the normalization of diplomatic ties. Since then, pandas have captured the hearts of the Japanese public, with successive generations becoming national celebrities. Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, born at Ueno Zoo in 2021, have drawn large crowds despite the zoo's one-minute viewing limit. Visitors, many carrying panda-themed toys, called out their names and snapped photos as the twins nibbled bamboo and wandered around.

China retains ownership of all pandas it loans abroad, including any cubs. Asked about sending new pandas to Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "Giant pandas are loved by many in Japan, and we welcome Japanese friends to come visit them in China."

Among the devoted fans is web engineer Takahiro Takauji, who has photographed pandas for 15 years. He has taken over 10 million pictures and published several photo books. During Sunday's one-minute viewing, he captured nearly 5,000 shots of the twins, saying he sees them "just like my own children."

Pandas also carry symbolic weight in diplomacy. Japan-China ties have been strained in recent years over political, trade, and security issues. Ueno Zoo's manager Asao Ezure said the pandas are "a symbol of Ueno, a star," while economists warn their absence could cost Japan roughly 20 billion yen ($128 million) annually in tourism and related sales.