Japan's Last Giant Pandas to Return to China in 2026

Japan may soon be without any giant pandas. Tokyo's Ueno Zoo has confirmed that its last two pandas, Xiaoxiao and Leilei, are scheduled to return to China on February 20, 2026.

The pair, born in 2021, have become key attractions at Ueno and helped sustain a wave of panda-themed consumer spending. Shops across the district sell hundreds of panda-related products, from stationery to toys. Economists estimate that the two pandas have generated about US$210 million in consumption for Tokyo, Xinmin Evening News reported.

Their planned departure has drawn widespread attention online, sending the topic "There will be no pandas left in Japan" to the top of social media trends on Thursday.

"Given current China-Japan tensions, it is unlikely China will continue leasing pandas to Japan. The country may face the grim reality of having no pandas at all," Chen Yang, guest professor at the Institute of Japan Studies of Liaoning University was quoted by the newspaper.

China's panda exchanges with Japan date back to 1972. Shortly after diplomatic relations were normalized, China sent Kangkang and Lanlan to Japan as goodwill ambassadors.

Their debut at Ueno Zoo on November 5 that year drew 56,000 visitors, though only 18,000 were able to enter due to capacity limits. The pandas' popularity went on to inspire cultural works such as the 1972 animated film "Panda! Go Panda!," directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Ueno has since been home to several well-known pandas. In 2017, Xiangxiang was born at the zoo. Under the lease agreement, she was expected to return to China after turning two, but public appeals and her estimated economic impact of 60–65 billion yen led to an 18-month extension. She returned to China in 2023.

The pandas' return comes as signs of strain emerge in other areas of China–Japan relations.

On November 19, Japan's Kyodo News reported that the Chinese cruise ship Adora Mediterranea canceled a planned stop at Miyako Island scheduled for the next morning. Aida Cruises later said the chartered voyage changed its itinerary at the customer's request, adding that it will follow government policies and adjust routes when necessary.