According to Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, the giant pandas “Xiao Xiao” (male) and “Lei Lei” (female) will be returned to China ahead of schedule in late January 2026, with their final public viewing day set for January 25, 2026. The original return date was in February, but it was moved up following negotiations between China and Japan.
The twin pandas, born in June 2021, are the only giant pandas remaining in Japan. Their parents, “Bi Li” and “Xian Nv,” and their older sister “Xiang Xiang,” have all previously returned to China. After their departure, Japan will enter a “panda-free era” for the first time since the normalization of Sino-Japanese relations in 1972.
Following the announcement, large numbers of Japanese people rushed to book zoo tickets, eager for a final chance to see the giant pandas. (XiaoXiao, LeiLei)