Japan's Last Pandas Return to China After 52-Year Friendship

After more than five decades of delighting millions of visitors, Japan will say goodbye to its last giant pandas this month, closing a remarkable chapter in international wildlife friendship.

Twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will board a flight from Narita International Airport on January 27, returning to China from Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. Their departure marks the first time since 1972 that no giant pandas will call Japan home.

The three-year-old twins were born at Ueno Zoo in 2021 and quickly became local celebrities. Thousands of visitors lined up for hours just to catch a glimpse of the playful pair. Sunday will be the final day fans can visit them at the zoo in Tokyo's Taito Ward.

Giant pandas first arrived in Japan in 1972 as symbols of growing friendship between the two nations. All pandas in Japanese zoos have been on loan from China for breeding research, with China retaining ownership even of cubs born abroad. The arrangement has allowed researchers to collaborate on conservation efforts while bringing joy to countless families.

Why This Inspires

The panda program represents decades of successful international cooperation on wildlife conservation. Since the 1970s, China's panda loan program has helped boost global awareness about endangered species while supporting critical breeding research. These partnerships have contributed to the giant panda's remarkable recovery, with the species upgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable" in 2016.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates Ueno Zoo, announced the twins' departure in December following an agreement with Chinese officials. While bittersweet, the return reflects the natural cycle of the breeding program and China's growing success in panda conservation at home.

Zoo staff and longtime visitors are preparing emotional farewells to the beloved twins. Many families have visited them repeatedly since birth, watching them grow from tiny cubs into healthy young adults ready for the next stage of their lives.

Japan's half-century of hosting these gentle ambassadors created lasting memories and strengthened bonds between nations through shared love of wildlife.