The departure of twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei from Tokyo's Ueno Zoo marks the end of an era, as Japan will be without a giant panda for the first time since 1972. The bears, born in 2021 and on loan from China, are being flown to a conservation centre in Sichuan province. Their exit leaves Japanese admirers bereft and highlights a dramatic deterioration in China-Japan relations.
Since diplomatic ties were normalised in 1972, China has loaned over 30 pandas to Japanese zoos. The programme survived changes in leadership and territorial disputes, but has faltered over the future of Taiwan. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested deploying self-defence forces in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, drawing a furious response from Beijing.
Chinese tourism to Japan has plummeted, and cultural exchanges have been cancelled. Despite requests from Tokyo, Chinese authorities say there are no plans to send replacement pandas. A Beijing Daily report quoted an expert saying that if tensions persist, pandas may no longer be seen in Japan.
Visitors at Ueno Zoo expressed frustration. One woman from Saitama said, 'It feels like we’re being picked on by the Chinese government.' Prof Rumi Aoyama of Waseda University noted that pandas serve as symbols of friendship rather than drivers of relations, and their return indicates the broader state of ties.
