(ECNS) -- Japan will soon no longer have any more pandas for the first time in over five decades, as their last two pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, prepare to return to China on Tuesday.
The pandas, who happen to be twins, were born in 2021 at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, and are the only giant pandas currently living in Japan. China gave them the first pair of pandas in 1972, Kang Kang and Lan Lan, and this marks the first time since then that Japan will have zero pandas in the country.
On Sunday, their final day of public viewing, large crowds gathered at Ueno Zoo to bid farewell to them. Many visitors brought panda plush toys and memorabilia, while some quietly whispered goodbye, wiping away tears.
"I feel so lonely," said a nine-year-old boy from Saitama Prefecture, who has loved pandas since he was a toddler.
A woman from Chiba Prefecture said she cherished the pandas' calm and relaxed nature and wished them good health in the future.
Although visitors were limited to only one minute in the panda viewing area, the atmosphere was filled with excitement and emotion. According to Japanese media, only 4,400 viewing slots were permitted on the day, with around a 3.9% chance of being selected from the random draw. Tokyo's official data shows more than 310,000 people applied for a chance to see the pandas after the news was made on Jan. 14.
One woman, who was holding a panda plush toy with tears welling in her eyes, said that although she didn't get a ticket to see them in person, she still wanted to stay with them until the very last moment.
Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei are the offspring of giant pandas Bi Li and Xian Nu, who returned to China in Sept. 2024, with their older sister, Xiang Xiang, sent back to China in February 2023. Under previous agreements between China and Japan, the twins were scheduled to return by February 2026, but the date was moved forward following consultations between both sides.
Mikako Kaneko, deputy director of Ueno Zoo, said that when people think of Ueno, the first animal they think of is pandas, noting that giant pandas have long been the zoo's signature attraction.
Beyond their cultural significance, pandas have also brought substantial economic benefits. Japanese broadcaster TBS cited estimates that Xiao xiao and Lei Lei generate about 30.8 billion yen (approximately $200 million) annually for the economy. That influence is, of course, now expected to gradually fade after their departure.
For many people, pandas are more than animals, one visitor said, noting they've given Japanese people comfort, energy and self-healing.
(By Gong Weiwei)
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