Japan-born panda twins debut at Sichuan reserve after returning to China

The twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were born at Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens in June 2021 and remained on loan to Japan until their agreement ended in January, ending a decades-long panda presence in the country. After their return, they were taken to the Ya'an Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda in Sichuan Province, where they were shown to the public on Tuesday. The center highlighted the location as part of the animals' natural range.

Japanese observers, including a longtime blogger and a visitor from Saitama Prefecture, welcomed the news, saying they would travel to see the bears. Their departure from Japan followed a diplomatic row sparked by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on a Taiwan emergency, which has cooled prospects for future panda loans. The event coincided with China continuing its panda diplomacy, exemplified by two pandas arriving at Zoo Atlanta shortly after a meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.