Japan's last two giant pandas return to China

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The last two giant pandas in Japan returned to China from a zoo in Tokyo on Wednesday morning, marking the end of over five decades of panda presence in Japan.

Giant panda Lei Lei at the Ya'an base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Sichuan Province, southwest China, January 28, 2026. /VCG

The pair, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, arrived in Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 1 a.m., before they were sent to the Ya'an base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where they will be quarantined.

Giant panda Xiao Xiao at the Ya'an base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Sichuan Province, southwest China, January 28, 2026. /VCG

Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei were born in 2021 to their mother Shin Shin and her mate, Ri Ri, which were returned to China in September 2024. Their elder sister, celebrity giant panda Xiang Xiang, returned to China in February 2023.

Many people see off the truck to farewell the giant pandas at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, ahead of their return to China, on January 27, 2026. /VCG

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency

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