Pandas Pack Up: Japan Says Goodbye to Its Beloved Bears

Japan is about to say goodbye to its last pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei. These twin pandas have been a big hit at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. But they are going back to China soon. Their last day for public viewing is January 25th. After that, Japan won't have any pandas for the first time in over 50 years. Why are they leaving? Well, China lends pandas to other countries as a sign of goodwill. But these pandas are on loan. And they must go back by February. The twins were born at the Ueno Zoo in 2021. They have been a big attraction ever since. Lots of people are visiting the zoo to see the pandas one last time. Some have waited for hours just to get a one-minute glimpse. Fans like Yuki Imai are sad to see them go. She said she wanted to visit while she still could.But why is this happening now? Tensions between Japan and China have been high lately. Japan's prime minister made some comments about Taiwan. China didn't like that. So, they restricted tourism and canceled cultural events. Some people think the pandas might be leaving earlier because of this. But others, like Tadashi Nakatani, hope things will calm down. He said he hopes pandas will come back when relations improve. China first sent pandas to Japan in 1972. Since then, Japan has always had pandas. The zoo is planning to promote other animals while they wait for new pandas. They even kept the panda area ready for any new arrivals.