Japanese people are flocking to see the last two giant pandas in the country before they are sent back to China at the end of this month, amid issues in international relations between the two countries.
Foreign news agencies reported on Sunday, 25 Jan 2026 GMT+7, that many Japanese and tourists poured into Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to bid farewell to “Xiao Xiao” and “Lei Lei,” the last pair of giant pandas in Japan, who are scheduled to be returned to China at the end of this month following diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
The departure of these 4-year-old twin pandas will mark the first time Japan is without any giant pandas since 1972, leading thousands of people to enter a lottery system hoping to secure tickets to say their final goodbyes.
“I have been coming here since the days of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei’s parents,” said Majiko Seki, a 54-year-old financial sector employee. “It feels like the story of a family is coming to a close.”
Although plans to return the pandas to China have been in preparation for some time, the imminent absence of any giant pandas in Japan is seen as a reflection of the deteriorating relationship between China and Japan over recent months.
Tensions between the two countries flared in November 2025 GMT+7 after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that if China were to hypothetically attack Taiwan, Japan might respond militarily, angering the Chinese government, which claims sovereignty over Taiwan.
However, political tensions are not a focus for zoo visitors, each of whom is allowed only one minute to view the pandas.
“These pandas have given me so much—strength, courage, and emotional healing,” Seki said. “Today, I came to express my gratitude.”
Even those who did not win the lottery to see the pandas still came to the zoo, such as 49-year-old housewife Akiko Kawakami, who said, “I came today simply because I wanted to breathe the same air as the pandas.”
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Source:cna