TOKYO (AP) — Thousands of Japanese fans, some wiping tears, bid farewell to a beloved Japanese-born giant panda, who made his final public appearance on Sunday before flying to her native country of China.
Panda fans gathered at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo for one last look at Xiang Xiang, the park’s idol since she was born in June 2017.
Viewership on Sunday was capped at 2,600 lucky ones who won their tickets in a highly competitive lottery. But many others who didn’t win still came to say goodbye from outside the panda house.
“Xiang Xiang is not only cute, but also charming and funny. She is so attractive that once you see her, you want to see her more often. I don’t think there’s a panda like her in the universe,” said one visitor, who gave only her first name, Yukie. “I’ve made friends here by sharing, and that’s also its appeal.”
Despite being born and raised in Tokyo Zoo, Xiang Xiang, whose parents Ri Ri and Shin Shin are borrowed from China, must return to this country.
China sends pandas abroad as a show of goodwill, but retains ownership of the animals and any cubs they produce. The animals are native to southwest China and are an unofficial national mascot.
Divided into groups of about 10 people, visitors had just a few minutes to say goodbye quietly to Xiang Xiang while she casually nibbled on bamboo sticks. Viewers held up their phones and cameras to capture their every move.
“I wish Japanese-born pandas could stay in Japan,” said Takamichi Masui, an auto parts maker who traveled from Mie in central Japan. “So many people who came today and fans are sad to see them go. When I saw (Xiang Xiang), I cried. I wish Xiang Xiang could stay, although I understand it’s difficult.”
He said he worries whether Xiang Xiang can smoothly adjust to her new life in China.
Natsuki Mizuguchi, a graphic designer, wore a parka, socks, and shoes decorated with Xiang Xiang’s head photo that she took.
Mizuguchi said she first saw Xiang Xiang when she was recovering from health problems, but has gotten better since then. “I wanted to pay tribute to Xiang Xiang,” Mizuguchi said. “I am sure that she will also be an idol in China and I hope that she will serve the friendship between our two countries.”
Her friend Akane Hiramoto, a nurse, said she couldn’t win a place on Sunday and her visit on Saturday was her last.
“I would like to visit her in China,” Hiramoto said. “I hope that Japan and China can deepen friendship, for example, through pandas like Xiang Xiang and also through environmental issues.”
Despite strained political relations between Japan and China, pandas have connected people in both countries and contributed to friendship, Japanese fans say.
Xiang Xiang will be flown to China on Tuesday, accompanied by two staff members from Ueno Zoo. She will join other pandas at a facility in Sichuan province, close to the original panda habitat.
“I got emotional when I saw so many people shedding tears and saying goodbye to her,” said Ueno Zoo spokeswoman Naoya Ohashi.
But there is still a day before their departure, and “as zoo keepers, we will fulfill our responsibilities and do everything we can to send them safely to China,” he said.
“I hope she will quickly adjust to a new environment, find a good partner and have children,” Ohashi said.
Rarely reproducing in the wild and feeding on bamboo, pandas remain among the world’s most endangered species. An estimated 1,800 pandas live in the wild, with another 500 in zoos or reserves, mostly in Sichuan.
Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
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