By AFP and Focus | 2025-12-17

TOKYO -- Japan's only remaining giant pandas, twin cubs Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, will be returned to China in January, officials said, a move set to leave the country without any pandas for the first time in about half a century.

The twins are scheduled to be sent back about a month before the expiration of their loan agreement in February, despite requests by Tokyo officials for an extension. The last day of public viewing for the 4-year-old twins will be January 25, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Born and raised at Ueno Zoological Gardens in the Japanese capital, the black-and-white animals have drawn large crowds since their debut, underscoring the enduring appeal of pandas in Japan. Their presence has continued a long tradition in which pandas have served as symbols of goodwill between China and Japan.

'Panda diplomacy'

Beijing has lent giant pandas to Japan under its so-called "panda diplomacy" since the early 1970s, following establishment of full diplomatic ties in 1972. The arrival of pandas soon after restoration of ties was widely viewed as a gesture of reconciliation after decades of wartime hostility.

Tokyo's metropolitan government said it has asked Chinese authorities to allow the twins to remain longer and has requested a new breeding pair for Ueno Zoo but has yet to receive a formal response. Japanese media, including Nikkei Asia, have reported that the arrival of new pandas before Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao leave is unlikely.

Japan has no pandas outside Tokyo. The parents of the twins were returned to China in September 2024, drawing large crowds to Ueno Zoo as thousands of fans gathered for a final glimpse and took photographs of the animals.

Pandas have long been closely tied to the broader trajectory of Sino-Japanese relations. Periods of smoother diplomatic ties have often coincided with panda loans or breeding successes, while delays, returns or uncertainty surrounding the animals have tended to mirror political strain.

Cooling ties

Relations between Asia's two largest economies have cooled in recent months amid disputes over regional security and historical issues. Japanese media have reported that comments by senior Japanese politicians regarding Taiwan have angered Beijing, which considers the self-governing island part of its territory.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in early November told parliament that Chinese use of force around Taiwan could amount to "an existential threat."

Top Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara said pandas have helped ties with China. "Exchanges through pandas have contributed to improving the feelings between the people of Japan and China. We hope such exchanges will continue," he told a regular press briefing.

He added that "several local governments and zoos have expressed interest in receiving pandas on loan" but did not state whether the national government was asking China for new animals.

Ueno Zoo has long been the beneficiary of panda diplomacy, having cooperated with facilities in China and the United States to successfully breed giant pandas.

China has used panda loans as a form of soft power, with analysts saying the animals can help soften Beijing's image abroad but have limited political impact.

Strains in relations have increasingly spilled into civilian and security spheres. China has restricted tourism to Japan, and some local-government cultural exchanges have been suspended. Tensions escalated further this month when Chinese military drills involving an aircraft carrier near southern Japan prompted Tokyo to scramble fighter jets. Japan also protested that Chinese warplanes locked their radars on Japanese aircraft, a move seen as a possible precursor to missile launches.