Photos shows Japan's love of pandas as twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei return to China

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Visitors walk past panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors walk past panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji looks through photos he took of Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji looks through photos he took of Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors browse through panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors browse through panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Panda-shaped buns are displayed for sale at a bakery near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Panda-shaped buns are displayed for sale at a bakery near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Pedestrians pass panda statues in a square near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Pedestrians pass panda statues in a square near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors browse through panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors browse through panda-themed items at a souvenir store in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Pedestrians walk past a billboard bidding farewell to Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Pedestrians walk past a billboard bidding farewell to Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors line up to see giant pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors line up to see giant pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
A child holding a panda plush lines up to see giant pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
A child holding a panda plush lines up to see giant pandas Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Giant panda Xiao Xiao walks in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Giant panda Xiao Xiao walks in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Giant panda Lei Lei eats in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Giant panda Lei Lei eats in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji holds panda plush toys during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji holds panda plush toys during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Plush panda toys are displayed inside a claw machine at an arcade near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Plush panda toys are displayed inside a claw machine at an arcade near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji holds a replica of the panda Xiang Xiang as a cub during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Takahiro Takauji holds a replica of the panda Xiang Xiang as a cub during an interview at his home in Saitama, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors take photographs of giant panda Lei Lei in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors take photographs of giant panda Lei Lei in its enclosure on the final day of public viewing before departing for China at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Notes with farewell messages are stuck on a wall for Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, at a shopping mall near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Notes with farewell messages are stuck on a wall for Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, at a shopping mall near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors look at farewell messages for Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, at a shopping mall near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Visitors look at farewell messages for Japan's last remaining pandas, Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, at a shopping mall near Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
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6:54 AM on Sunday, January 25

By LOUISE DELMOTTE

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese panda fans gathered Sunday for the final public viewing at Tokyo’s Ueno zoo before twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei return to China.

Their departure on Tuesday will leave Japan with no pandas for the first time in half a century, and the chances of getting a replacement are poor, with Tokyo’s relations with Beijing at their lowest point in years.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

This content is used here with permission. To view the original visit: https://apnews.com/article/japan-china-pandas-ueno-zoo-return-diplomacy-9f5ecf5d57eecbbee25e3c89097409bb
 

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