Japan's 50-Year Panda Era Ends as Beloved Twin Pandas Return to China Amid Diplomatic Tensions

Dec 15, 2025 09:11 pm CST

After nearly half a century of continuous panda presence in Japan, the beloved twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei are set to return to China in late January 2024, leaving Japan panda-less for the first time in 50 years. Their departure coincides with increasing diplomatic tensions between the two nations, highlighting the political significance of panda diplomacy that began with the normalization of Japan-China relations in 1972.