Four Pandas Leave Japan After 30-Year Project

Thousands of fans gathered at Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, to bid farewell to four giant pandas—Rauhin and her daughters Yuihin, Saihin, and Fuhin—who departed for China as their conservation loan ended. This marks the end of a 30-year joint breeding project with China, during which 17 cubs were born at the park, the highest number outside China. After their departure, only two pandas remain in Japan, both at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo and also set to return to China next year. The event highlights the enduring popularity of pandas in Japan and China's use of 'panda diplomacy' to foster international goodwill. Despite current political tensions, both nations celebrate the success of their collaborative conservation efforts and express hope for future exchanges. Visitors shared sadness at the farewell but wished the pandas well in their native land.