Tokyo: Japan is set to return its last pair of panda twins to China today, amid strained relations between the two countries. Large crowds flocked to zoos to say goodbye to their beloved pandas.
According to Thai News Agency, thousands of people have been flocking to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo since Sunday to say goodbye to Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, the country's last remaining twin pandas, before they are sent back to China today. The atmosphere was emotional, with long queues, some waiting up to three and a half hours, to see the twins one last time. Many were seen sobbing as they said their farewells. Tokyo authorities reported that around 108,000 people applied for one of 4,400 available spots to see the beloved pandas for the final time, each given only one minute to say goodbye.
Xiaoxiao and Leilei were born in 2021 at Ueno Zoo to panda mother Shinshin and father Riri, both of whom were on loan from China for breeding research and were recently returned to China late last year. The return of the twin pandas to China means Japan will have no pandas left for the first time since 1972, the year the two countries restored diplomatic relations.
China has used giant pandas as a symbol of goodwill towards allies and rivals on the international stage since its founding in 1949. However, China retains ownership of all pandas loaned to foreign countries, including cubs born overseas. Host countries pay an annual fee of approximately US$1 million per pair of pandas. Loan agreements are typically for 10 years, although renewals are frequent. It has been notable, however, that a significant number of pandas have been returned to China in recent years.
While the chances of Japan acquiring a new set of pandas remain uncertain, tensions have escalated following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement last November that Japan would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. This statement angered China, which views Taiwan, the self-governing island, as part of its territory and has not ruled out the possibility of using force for reunification.
Since then, both sides have adopted increasingly aggressive stances and actions towards each other. Earlier this month, China tightened restrictions on the export of rare earth minerals to Japan. Most recently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement warning that Japan is an unsafe country and urging Chinese citizens to avoid traveling to Japan during the upcoming Chinese New Year.