Latest news with #Eimei
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
Panda Parting: Iconic Animals Returning to China from Japanese Zoos
On April 24, the theme park Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama, announced that all four of its giant pandas will return to China around the end of June. The animals' loan agreement expires at the end of August, but the park authorities decided that it would be better if they return before the hot weather of high summer. Adventure World has garnered worldwide attention for its successful panda breeding program, which began in 1994. Eimei (male), born in 1992, came to Japan at the age of two and from 2001 onward successfully bred around once every two years, producing 16 offspring. Of these, 13 have already returned to China and Eimei himself went back in 2023 before dying of illness in January 2024. The four pandas returning in June are Eimei's former partner Rauhin (female), and their three children, Yuihin, Saihin, and Fūhin (all females). After they return, Adventure World will have no more pandas. From July, there will be only two pandas left in Japan: the twins Lei Lei (female) and Xiao Xiao (male) at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. However, their loan agreement will expire on February 20, 2026, meaning Japan may soon find itself panda-less. Rauhin with two cubs at Adventure World in May 2015 (© Jiji) (Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Rauhin with her cub Yuihin. © Pixta.)
The Mainichi
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Fans shocked by decision to return all 4 pandas from west Japan zoo to China
TOKYO -- All four giant pandas at a zoo in the western Japan town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, are set to be returned to China, leaving the animals' fans in shock. A 49-year-old company worker from the city of Wakayama who has been visiting the Adventure World theme park with his wife to see the pandas expressed dismay, saying, "I still haven't come to terms with it." For about five years, he and his wife have visited the park every weekend, capturing and uploading videos of the pandas almost daily to his YouTube channel "Waka Panda," which has over 60,000 subscribers driven by the animals' charming appearance and playful behavior. Upon hearing the news of the pandas' departure, he couldn't believe it. He commented, "In February 2023, the pandas' father, Eimei, and his daughters Ouhin and Touhin returned to China, leaving only female pandas in Shirahama. Fans hoped 'a male would arrive in spring during the females' mating season,' but we never thought they would all be gone." He noted that Adventure World allows for proximity to the pandas, recalling countless instances where people who have been to Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo wowed by the chance to see the pandas up close and leisurely in Shirahama. "Captive breeding was so successful that it was called the 'Shirahama method,' and the pandas were one of the symbols of friendship between Japan and China. I don't understand the timing of their return at this point," he said. "I'll visit them as much as I can before they leave. Even after they're returned to China, I'll reedit the videos I have taken so far and share them in consideration of panda fans." Social media also saw a flurry of shocked reactions. On X (formerly Twitter), users expressed sadness with posts like "I'm so shocked, I can't find words ..." and "I almost cried watching the news." Others commented, "The rental fee is expensive and may have political implications, but it has nothing to do with the pandas," and, "This is a huge blow to Wakayama's tourism industry."
The Mainichi
24-04-2025
- General
- The Mainichi
All 4 giant pandas at western Japan zoo to return to China in June
WAKAYAMA (Kyodo) -- All four giant pandas on loan to a western Japan zoo will return to China around late June, ahead of the expiration of their lease agreement, the zoo operator said Thursday. The 24-year-old Rauhin and her children -- Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4 -- will leave Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, for their new home at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China's Sichuan Province, according to the operator. The Wakayama park began a breeding cooperation program with the Chinese panda research base in 1994 and was home to Eimei, who came to Japan on loan in 1994. While in Wakayama, he fathered 10 cubs with Rauhin and another six with a different female giant panda. Eimei was returned to China in 2023 and died earlier this year. The departure of the four pandas would mean only two giant pandas will be left in Japan. The two pandas are currently based at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens. The Ueno zoo received its first pandas in 1972 from China to commemorate the normalization of bilateral ties.
Kyodo News
24-04-2025
- General
- Kyodo News
All 4 giant pandas at western Japan zoo to return to China in June
KYODO NEWS - 10 minutes ago - 19:58 | All, Japan All four giant pandas on loan to a western Japan zoo will return to China around late June, ahead of the expiration of their lease agreement, the zoo operator said Thursday. The 24-year-old Rauhin and her children -- Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4 -- will leave Adventure World amusement park in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, for their new home at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China's Sichuan Province, according to the operator. The Wakayama park began a breeding cooperation program with the Chinese panda research base in 1994 and was home to Eimei, who came to Japan on loan in 1994. While in Wakayama, he fathered 10 cubs with Rauhin and another six with a different female giant panda. Eimei was returned to China in 2023 and died earlier this year. The departure of the four pandas would mean only two giant pandas will be left in Japan. The two pandas are currently based at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens. The Ueno zoo received its first pandas in 1972 from China to commemorate the normalization of bilateral ties. Related coverage: Giant panda Eimei dies in China after repatriation from Japan Penguins charm visitors with winter strolls at Hokkaido zoo
