Japan's last two giant pandas are headed to China and fans just can't bear it

A day after news broke that Japan would soon lose its last two giant pandas to China, thousands of fans flocked to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on Tuesday to catch a final glimpse, with many bidding the twins a tearful farewell.

The announcement that four-year-old Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei would head to China at the end of January - ahead of a February 20 deadline - was national news on Monday, disappointing a nation that has long had a love affair with pandas. Their move to China had long been planned, but Tokyo's loss is rich in symbolism as China-Japan relations have lately deteriorated due to geopolitical matters.

Last month, Beijing was angered after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo - and tensions are still high.

On Tuesday, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei led the news again as TV cameras captured throngs of visitors with panda hats, bags and other paraphernalia forming long queues since early in the morning. "I want these pandas to stay in Japan forever," said 60-year-old hospitality worker Hiroyo Kashio. "I know they belong to China, but since they were born in Japan, I really want them to stay in Ueno Zoo.”

The twins were born in the zoo in June 2021 and have been a drawing card since their parents departed last year. Once they leave, Japan will be panda-less for the first time since 1972, the year it normalised diplomatic relations with China.

"The birth of these twins truly gave us so much, both in terms of experience and emotional impact," said Hitoshi Suzuki, the chief of animal care and exhibition at Ueno Zoo. "I’m deeply grateful for that.”

SYMBOLIC LOSS

China, in what has been called panda diplomacy, has a history of loaning out pandas to reward its allies, though it has sometimes taken them back to express displeasure. Native to China, giant pandas typically return home after the loan agreement ends - and cubs born overseas are no exception.

Anticipating a flood of visitors until January 25, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei's final viewing day, Ueno Zoo began restricting viewing at the panda pavilion to about a minute starting on Tuesday and will require online reservations starting next week. For the last 12 days, a lottery will be drawn to pick the lucky viewers.

"Maybe our prime minister's comments had some influence on this," visitor Kashio said. "But pandas shouldn’t be political. They’re symbols of friendship between Japan and China, so I really hope pandas can stay here."