The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on December 15 that it will return the twin giant pandas at Ueno Zoo, “Xiao Xiao” and “Lei Lei,” to China in January 2026.

The beloved animals were originally scheduled to be returned to China on February 20, 2026.

Seeing the pandas at Ueno Zoo will require advance reservations starting December 23. From the 27th of this month onwards, they will only be displayed indoors due to quarantine preparations.

The final viewing day will be January 25, 2026.

Pandas  have been loaned out to Japan as part of China’s “panda diplomacy” program since 1972, symbolizing friendship between the two countries since the normalization of diplomatic ties.

Tokyo has requested Beijing to loan a new pair of the mammals to continue the panda breeding and conservation research project, but no formal response has been received so far.

Once Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei are returned, it will be the first time since 1972 that there will be no pandas in Japan.

The announcement to move up the deadline comes as relations between Japan and China continue to deteriorate following Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s comment regarding Taiwan during a Diet session.

She said that a Taiwan crisis would constitute a state of existential crisis if the use of force using battleships were to occur.

Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong  said during a UN Security Council meeting on December 15 that Takaichi’s comments “pose a serious risk to peace in Asia and the world.”


He also condemned the remarks as “utterly unacceptable,” saying they suggest the possibility of Japan's military intervention in the Taiwan issue. He further emphasized that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and once again demanded Japan retract the remarks.
 

China has previously criticized Japan at the UN General Assembly and twice has sent letters to the UN Secretary-General demanding retraction of the remarks.