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Japan's last two giant pandas returning to China as planned
The Straits Times
|December 17, 2025
A day after news broke that Japan would soon lose its last two giant pandas to China, thousands of fans flocked to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on Dec 16 to catch a final glimpse, with many bidding the twins a tearful farewell.
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The announcement that four-year-old Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei would head to China at the end of January - ahead of a Feb 20 deadline - was national news on Dec 15, disappointing a nation that has long had a love affair with pandas.
Their move to China had long been planned, but Tokyo's loss is rich in symbolism as China-Japan relations have lately deteriorated due to geopolitical matters.
In November, Beijing was angered after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo - and tensions are still high.
Dit verhaal komt uit de December 17, 2025-editie van The Straits Times.
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