TOKYO (Business Emerge/Asia): Japan will send its remaining two giant pandas to China in late January, marking the first period in more than five decades when the country will have no pandas on display. The animals, housed at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, are scheduled to depart after a final public viewing period later this month, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said.
The transfer involves Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, a male and female pair born at the Ueno facility in 2021. The zoo stated that visitors will be able to see the pandas until Jan. 25. Following the close of public access, the animals will be transported to China during a window that runs from Jan. 26 through Jan. 31. The timing reflects logistical and health protocols required before international movement.
Both pandas were born in Japan but are owned by China under a long-standing conservation loan arrangement. The animals are part of a cooperative breeding and research program managed by the Tokyo government and a Chinese wildlife organization. Under the terms of the agreement, pandas are loaned to overseas facilities for conservation research and must be returned at specified intervals.
The current agreement was signed in 2010 and took effect in February 2011 with an initial duration of ten years. It was later extended by five additional years, setting an original return deadline in February 2026. Officials confirmed that the January transfer date was chosen to allow sufficient time for quarantine and medical checks designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases during transport.
Tokyo officials said the city has requested the loan of another breeding pair to continue panda research and public exhibition at Ueno. As of this week, no formal response has been received. The zoo noted that preparations at the facility will continue in line with existing animal care standards while discussions remain pending.
Japan’s association with giant pandas dates back to 1972, when the first pair arrived at Ueno Zoo following the establishment of formal bilateral ties between the two countries. Since then, pandas have been displayed at several locations across Japan under rotating loan arrangements. The presence of the animals has been linked to joint research on breeding, veterinary care, and habitat conservation.
The number of pandas in Japan has declined in recent years as earlier loan periods reached their end. In 2024, Li Li and Xin Xin, the parents of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were returned to China after completing their term at Ueno. In June of the same year, four additional pandas at an amusement park in Wakayama Prefecture were also transferred back, leaving only the Ueno pair in the country.
The departure of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will temporarily end panda exhibitions nationwide and affect visitor programs centered on the species. Ueno Zoo has adjusted its scheduling and crowd management plans to accommodate increased attendance during the final viewing days. The Tokyo government said the zoo will continue to focus on other conservation and education activities after the transfer.
Future developments depend on the status of discussions regarding a new loan agreement. Any additional pandas would require approval under established conservation frameworks and the completion of transport and quarantine procedures. Until such arrangements are finalized, Japan will remain without giant pandas, closing a chapter that has spanned more than half a century.
