Japan says goodbye to its last 2 giant pandas

People flocked to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to say goodbye to the last two giant pandas in Japan. Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will return to China.

Panda diplomacy: What do Japan's last two pandas tell us about global tensions?

Japan's Ueno Zoo is returning the country's last two pandas to China at a time when relationships between the two countries have hit an all time low.
The Economist

For the first time in 54 years there are no pandas in Japan

O n January 25th tearful crowds bade farewell to Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, twin pandas at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo. Some 110,000 people applied for 4,400 viewing spots. Many who missed out went along anyway, waving flags that read “Thank you, Xiao and Lei.”
Devdiscourse

Farewell to Japan's Last Pandas Amid Diplomatic Strains

Japan bids farewell to its last pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, as they return to China amid strained diplomatic relations. The beloved bears' departure marks the end of an era in Japan, where they were first sent in 1972 as a gift symbolizing improving ties between the two nations.