Panda diplomacy between Japan and China is coming to an end amid escalating tensions as Japan’s last pair of pandas are expected to return to China in January next year.
Tokyo Metropolitan announced that the twins, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, born in 2021, would be available to the public for the last time on January 25, 2026.
This return will mark the symbolic end of friendly relations between the two countries against a backdrop of tensions around Taiwan.
The return of the pandas was initially planned for February and Tokyo tried to extend their stay, but was unable to do so. Now they will be returned earlier than the deadline.
Their parents, Shin Shin and his partner Ri Ri, stayed in Japan for 13 years, from 2011 to 2024, before being sent back due to their old age and the need for specialized medical treatment.
Pandas have been part of Chinese diplomacy for a long time. As part of panda diplomacy, China often sends pandas to different countries as a friendly gesture; however, ownership remains with China.
After the return of the last pair of pandas, Japan will be without the animal for the first time since the establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1972.
The panda is considered an unofficial mascot of China.
