Japan fears it will run out of panda bears after more than 50 years due to tensions with China

Japan could run out of panda bears for the first time in recent decades after the imminent return to China of its last two pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, amid bilateral tensions that question the continuation of Beijing's so-called “panda bear diplomacy” with the island country, where the animals are very beloved, informs the EFE agency on Friday, quoted by Agerpres.

“We came from the Kansai region (in western Japan) so that our daughter could finally see real pandas,” Aki Nakayama explained to EFE on Friday from Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. She explained that she came here with her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter and husband, who hope “action will be taken soon” to prevent their loss to Japan.

The loan of the two panda bears to Ueno expires next February, when the two animals will be repatriated to China after they reach their fourth year of life, according to the protocol signed between the two countries. So Japan will run out of panda bears for the first time since 1972, unless additional transfers are arranged.

In June, four other pandas living at the Adventure World complex in Shirahama, in central Japan's Wakayama prefecture, were sent back to China after Beijing refused to extend the loan agreement with the complex.

Major diplomatic tensions between Japan and China

Preparations for the operation involving Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei take place in the context of the current cooling of bilateral relations between Japan and China – following statements made by the head of the Japanese government about Taiwan – which calls into question the arrival of new panda bears in the Japanese archipelago.

Diplomatic tensions between China and Japan have escalated to unprecedented levels in recent years over comments made by new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan.

Takaichi said in comments to the Japanese parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a situation that threatens Japan's survival” and that Tokyo could intervene militarily.

China reacted angrily to his comment, and despite attempts by the Tokyo government to ease tensions, Japan's foreign ministry warned its citizens in China to take extra precautions for their safety.

Panda bears are considered a symbol of harmony between Japan and China

China's use of sending pandas as a diplomatic tool with foreign powers dates back decades, and was cemented in Japan with the arrival of the first pandas at Ueno Zoo, the country's oldest, in 1972, following the normalization of relations between the two nations.

The start of the long-term breeding program at Adventure World in 1994 was also the first of its kind outside of China.

Since then, these charismatic animals have served as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, and the Japanese population has developed a special affection for them.

Over the years, Japan has received and bred more than 20 pandas in joint programs to the delight of Japanese citizens, who participated en masse in naming campaigns for the newborn cubs or visited the various zoos in large numbers to greet them at their introductions.

“We want to come back before they go. We liked them so much and they are so adorable,” Hatsuko Oi and Michiko Higuchi, both 66, told EFE during their visit to the panda bears at Ueno Zoo, which was full of visitors who also wanted to say goodbye.

Panda bears are a small economic engine for Japan

T-shirts, bags, plush toys, clothes and shoes covered in panda designs are just some of the merchandise options visitors can purchase in stores across the Asian country. Beyond being a diplomatic symbol, pandas also provide a significant source of income for the Japanese economy.

At Ueno Zoo alone, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei had an economic impact of more than 30 billion yen (about 166 million euros) in the first year of their public introduction in 2021, according to estimates published by Katsuhiro Miyamoto, emeritus professor of economics at Kansai University.

In Shirahama, known as the “Panda City”, the presence of the bears has generated an estimated 125.6 billion yen (about 690 million euros) in revenue over the past three decades, according to the academic, who estimates that their departure could cause the city to lose the equivalent of 40 percent of its annual budget.

The planned departure of Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will not only leave the pens empty, but could also mark a symbolic setback in the past half-century of exchange and cooperation that has made pandas a cultural and economic bridge between China and Japan.

“I hope this is not a goodbye, how sad,” said Oi and Higuchi, who see these animals as symbols of cuteness.