Crowds bid farewell to Japan's last pandas

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Crowds bid farewell to Japan's last pandas

2026-01-26 11:39 Last Updated At：18:42

Japanese fans flocked to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo on Sunday to farewell the country's last two pandas ahead of their return to China.

Giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei met the public in Japan for the last time on Sunday before departing for China on Tuesday under a prior agreement between the two countries, prompting the fans to apply for around 4,400 lottery-assigned tickets to say goodbye.

After Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei leave, there will be no giant panda in Japan for the first time since two arrived in 1972 to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic ties between the countries.

"I will keep in mind today's meeting with them. I want to say 'thank you' to them, and tell them to stay healthy," said a fan after seeing the panda twins in person for the last time.

"I could see them whenever I came here, but after today, I won't be able to meet them here, which is very sad. I hope they will grow up healthily and be great parents in the future," said another lucky fan.

Many people who did not win the tickets also rushed to the Ueno Zoo to bid farewell.

"I came from Shizuoka Prefecture. I didn't win the lottery for the panda viewing today, but just like everyone else, I feel content to just know that Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei are still here and that I can breathe the same air as the pandas, although I can't say 'thank you' to them face to face," said a visitor.

"I came all the way from Tochigi Prefecture. Although I can't see Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei in person today, I still want to stay by their side as much as possible. When there were things that made me feel uncomfortable in life, I could hang in there by just thinking that I would see Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei during the weekend. They are truly my source of strength," said another visitor.

Many visitors came to express their gratitude and reluctance to part with the panda twins.

"Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, thank you for your company. You may feel a little scared when taking a plane, but I hope that you could stay strong and return to China safely," said a visitor.

"After returning to China, please live happily and healthily. I will go to see you. Get along well, and we'll meet again," said another visitor.

"Thank you Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, please stay healthy. Stay strong!" said several visitors.

Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei were born in 2021 to their mother Shin Shin and her mate, Ri Ri, which were returned to China in September 2024.

Foreign investors bullish on long-term growth potential of Chinese assets in 2026

As China's stock market continues to rebound, international investors are increasingly recognizing the country's high-quality development prospects, announcing plans to maintain an overweight allocation to Chinese assets in 2026 and step up long-term investment, citing confidence in their innovation and sustained growth.

Global investors are shifting their focus from short-term valuation gains to the long-term growth potential of Chinese assets, as corporate transformation and industrial upgrading accelerate. The steady improvement in corporate fundamentals has become the core driver underpinning foreign investors' bullish outlook.

"In the past, markets mainly focused on relative valuation attractiveness. Now, more and more companies are proving themselves through earnings performance and cash flow. We see continuous improvements in Chinese firms' capabilities in research and development investment, product iteration, and global expansion. Innovation is no longer just about scaling up, but increasingly about efficiency and quality," said Wen Tianna, President of Hong Kong Boda Capital International.

The sustained innovation capacity of Chinese enterprises, coupled with targeted governmental policies, is further amplifying the global appeal of Chinese assets.

"For global investors, Chinese assets offer both high-quality earnings growth and strong macro policy support, making them a core component of global asset allocation," said Wang Xinjie, Chief Investment Strategist of Standard Chartered China Wealth Solutions Department.

Looking ahead to 2026, investment in the AI industrial chain has emerged as a broad consensus. Meanwhile, sectors such as new consumption are also becoming focal points, drawing increasing global attention to opportunities in China.

"Recently, our UBS Greater China Conference in Shanghai attracted more than 3,600 participants. Notably, the number of investors from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa rose by 32 percent year on year. The surge in Chinese innovation is creating valuable opportunities for global investors to position for high-quality growth," said Xu Bin, Head of Research from UBS Securities.