Japan to be without pandas for first time in 50 years as panda twins return to China

While the twin pandas were born in Japan, they belong to China under a loan agreement and are set to return by February 2026.

Published: 7:31pm, 18 Dec 2025

Japan will be without pandas for the first time in half a century as the last remaining twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and his sister Lei Lei, are scheduled to return to China by February 2026. A short-term replacement appears unlikely amid a deterioration in relations between China and Japan.

Japan to be without pandas for first time in 50 years as panda twins return to China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}While the twin pandas were born in Japan, they belong to China under a loan agreement and are set to return by February 2026.

While the twin pandas were born in Japan, they belong to China under a loan agreement and are set to return by February 2026.