Will Japan lose all pandas after scheduled return of twins at Ueno zoo to China in 2026?
Pandas at Ueno zoo, the country's very first to have the animals, have historically symbolized the Japan-China friendship, but will we see the day when the beloved bears disappear from Japan?
Pandas first arrived in Japan in 1972, when China sent two named Kang Kang and Lan Lan upon the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the pair were kept at the zoo in Tokyo. Then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Susumu Nikaido reportedly summoned the zoo director and others at the time and told them, "Whatever you do, don't let them die."
China has engaged in "panda diplomacy" not only with Japan but other countries by gifting the animals. In 1984, however, pandas were classified under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, commonly known as the "Washington Convention," as one of the most endangered species, and international trade for commercial purposes was banned. As a result, the pandas at Ueno zoo shifted from being "gifts" to being "loans" for breeding and research purposes. Under the pretense of conservation, a "rental fee" also began to be charged. Although there has been no official announcement, the fee is said to be around 100 million yen (roughly $700,300) per year for a male-female pair.
The zoo has kept a total of 15 pandas over the past 53 years, including periods when it had none of the animals. Seven cubs have been born, and five of them -- Tong Tong, You You, Xiang Xiang, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei -- were raised there.
The latest pair, Xiao Xiao, male, and Lei Lei, female, were born in June 2021 and are growing steadily. According to the April 24 announcement, as of April 17, Xiao Xiao weighed 95.7 kilograms and Lei Lei was 93.1 kg. They mainly eat bamboo, along with carrots and apples, and during this season, they also enjoy bamboo shoots. Since July 2023, the twins have been working hard at "husbandry training," which involves learning behaviors necessary for health management.
The return deadline for the twin pandas is Feb. 20, 2026. This date was set in accordance with the original deadline for their father Ri Ri and mother Shin Shin, who were sent back to China in September 2024 for hypertension treatment and other reasons. However, there have been cases of extensions in the past, and a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official expressed hope, saying, "The specific return date for the twins has not yet been decided."
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