Last two pandas in Japan return to China

A plane carrying twin pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, arrived in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province on Wednesday after they completed their stay in Tokyo's Ueno zoo.

The pair, which were the last two giant pandas in Japan, departed on Tuesday, marking the first time that there will be no pandas in Japan in around half a century.

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. Their elder sister, celebrity giant panda Xiang Xiang, returned to China in February 2023.

Under a prior agreement between China and Japan, the Ueno zoo pair were scheduled to be returned by February 2026. Japanese media earlier reported that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government consulted with the Chinese side on the specific date and agreed to move the return forward by about one month.

In the days leading up to their departure, Ueno zoo saw an influx of visitors to bid their farewell to the giant pandas. From January 14, the zoo introduced a combined reservation-and-lottery system, offering about 4,400 slots per day for visitors wishing to see the twin pandas.

"They truly healed me, and I really cherish the process of seeing them grow up. Especially for Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, I have witnessed the growth of them. To me, they are just like my own children, and my heart has always been full of love for them," said a local resident.

Many visitors said they will come to China to see the two pandas again.

Last two pandas in Japan return to China

Russia said on Tuesday that it had taken control of two more settlements from Ukraine, while Ukraine, on the same day, reported repelling Russian offensives on multiple fronts.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, its forces captured the key logistics hub of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, and the village of Novoyakovlivka in southeast of the city of Zaporizhzhia.

The Russian forces also carried out strikes on 154 targets using tactical aircraft, attack drones, missile forces and artillery, and these targets included Ukraine's energy infrastructure as well as storage and launch sites for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military said in a situation report that as of 08:00 Tuesday, it had carried out strikes on Russian drone control stations, multiple rocket launch systems and command posts over the past day.

The Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks in several directions, including Kupiansk and Lyman, the report said.

Furthermore, Ukraine's local authorities and the country's energy ministry said on Tuesday that the Russian forces launched air strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure from late Monday night to early Tuesday morning.

The attacks left dozens of people injured in Odesa city and Mykolaiv Oblast, and triggered power outages in multiple areas, the Ukrainian side said.

Russia captures two more settlements from Ukraine, while Ukraine repels Russian offensives on multiple fronts