Japan’s only pandas leave Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, ending a 50-year presence amid diplomatic tensions between the two Asian powers.
TOKYO: Panda lovers bid an emotional farewell on Sunday to Japan’s only two giant pandas, ending the country’s half-century tradition of hosting the beloved bears.
The pair, four-year-old twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, are expected to depart Tokyo’s Ueno Zoological Gardens for China on Tuesday.
Their abrupt return was announced last month after comments by Japan’s conservative premier Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan provoked Beijing’s ire.
Some visitors were left teary-eyed watching the pandas munch on bamboo for the last time.
“I feel like seeing pandas can help create a connection with China too,” said Tokyo resident Gen Takahashi, 39, who visited with his family.
“Kids love pandas as well, so if we could see them with our own eyes in Japan, I’d definitely want to go.”
The animals have been a symbol of friendship since the normalisation of Sino-Japanese ties in 1972, loaned under China’s “panda diplomacy” programme.
A select group of 4,400 lottery winners took final turns viewing the twins, while other fans gathered nearby in panda-themed attire.
Mayuko Sumida travelled for hours from central Japan hoping for a glimpse despite not winning the lottery.
“Japan’s going to be left with zero pandas. It feels kind of sad,” she said, describing herself as “totally hooked” on the bears.
Masaki Ienaga, a professor of East Asian international relations, suggested the departure might not be solely politically motivated.
He told AFP that future panda loans could symbolise a warming of bilateral relations.
“In the future…if there are intentions of improving bilateral ties on both sides, it’s possible that (the return of) pandas will be on the table”, he said.
