China welcomes Japanese visitors to see pandas as Tokyo pair set to return

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday it welcomes Japanese tourists to visit China to see giant pandas, as Japan’s last two pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, are set to return to China next week on January 27.

The two pandas, which have been living at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, are currently the only giant pandas in Japan.

At a regular press conference, a reporter asked whether China would consider extending its giant panda loan program with Japan.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will return to China as scheduled before February 2026, adding that inquiries about future arrangements should be directed to the relevant Chinese authorities.

Guo said China is aware of the strong enthusiasm for giant pandas among the Japanese public and reiterated that Chinese zoos remain open to visitors from Japan who wish to see the animals.

Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei were born at Ueno Zoological Gardens in 2021. Under the bilateral agreement between China and Japan, the pair was scheduled to return to China in February 2026.