Panda diplomacy between Japan and China is coming to an end amid escalating tensions, as the last pair of pandas in Japan will return to China in January next year.
The Tokyo Metropolitan has announced that the twins, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, born in 2021, will be available to the public for the last time on January 25, 2026.
The return will mark a symbolic end to friendly relations between both countries amid tensions over Taiwan.
The pandas were previously scheduled to return in February and Tokyo attempted to extend their stay but failed. They will now be returned before the deadline.
His parents, Shin Shin and his partner Ri Ri, stayed in Japan for 13 years from 2011 to 2024, before returning due to old age and the need for specialized medical treatment.
Pandas have long been part of Chinese diplomacy. Under Panda Diplomacy, China often sends pandas to different countries as a friendly gesture; however, ownership remains with China.
Following the return of the last pair of pandas, Japan will be without the animal for the first time since establishing diplomatic relations with China in 1972.
The panda is considered an unofficial mascot of China.
