Japanese officials are tearfully escorting the last giant pandas back to China, marking the first time in half a century that Japan will be without these animals.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Japan expressed hope that international relationships established through panda diplomacy would continue despite recent diplomatic tensions caused by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s harsh statements.
Historically, China has used pandas as diplomatic gifts since 685 during the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Jietian sent two animals to Japanese Emperor Temmu.
Since then, pandas have become symbols of peace. In 1941, following U.S. support during World War II, China gifted pandas to the United States; the Soviet Union received its first pair in 1957.
The diplomatic significance of pandas grew after U.S. President Richard Nixon’s visit to Beijing in 1972, which led to a gift of pandas from China to the U.S. president.
China has now ended Japan’s exclusive access to giant pandas for the first time since 1972, leaving Tokyo without these animals after decades of diplomatic engagement through panda diplomacy.
