The last two pandas in Japan are leaving for China

The departure of the panda twins, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, from the Ueno Zoo will leave Japan without any pandas for the first time in half a century, a sad moment considering that relations between Tokyo and Beijing are at their lowest level in recent years. The pandas were brought to Japan in 1972 as a symbol of the normalization of diplomatic relations, and they quickly gained popularity among the Japanese.

The last day to visit the twins attracted many fans, even those without tickets, wanting to mark this moment. China, which holds ownership of the pandas, has suggested that there are no immediate plans to send other pandas to Japan, inviting the Japanese instead to visit them in China.