Japanese fans bid farewell to Xiang Xiang

TOKYO — Thousands of Japanese, some wiping away tears, bid farewell to a beloved Japanese-born giant panda that made her final public appearance on Sunday before flying home to China.

Fans gathered at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo for one last look at Xiang Xiang, the park's star attraction since her birth in June 2017.

Sunday's event was limited to 2,600 lucky ones who won tickets in an extremely competitive lottery. Many others who didn't win came anyway to say their goodbyes from outside the panda house.

"Xiang Xiang is not only cute but also charming and funny. I don't think there's any panda like her in the universe," said a visitor who gave her name as Yukie.

The panda, now 5, was born to parents Ri Ri and Shin Shin, who are on loan from China. The country sends pandas abroad as a sign of goodwill. The animals are native to southwestern China and are an unofficial national mascot.

Divided into groups of about 10, visitors on Sunday were given a few minutes each to quietly say goodbye to Xiang Xiang as she nonchalantly nibbled on bamboo sticks. Viewers held up mobile phones and cameras to capture her 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 were sad to see her go. When I saw (Xiang Xiang), I got teary."

Natsuki Mizuguchi, a graphic designer who wore a parka, socks and shoes decorated with Xiang Xiang's image, first saw the panda while recovering from health issues. "I wanted to express my appreciation. I'm certain she will be an idol in China too, and I hope she serves the friendship between our two countries."

Big contribution

Her friend, Akane Hiramoto, a nurse, did not win a slot on Sunday, so her visit on Saturday had to be her last. "I would love to go see her in China," she said.

Despite strained political ties between Japan and China, pandas have connected people in both countries and contributed to the friendship, according to Japanese fans.

Xiang Xiang will be flown to China on Tuesday, accompanied by two zoo staff members. She will join other pandas at a facility in Sichuan province, close to the original panda habitat.

"I became emotional when I saw so many people shedding tears saying goodbye to her," said Ueno Zoo spokesman Naoya Ohashi. "As zookeepers, we will fulfill our responsibility and do our utmost to safely send her to China.

"I hope she will get used to a new environment quickly, find a good partner and have children," Ohashi said.

Three other pandas at another park, Adventure World, in central Japan — elderly male Eimei, sent from China in 1994, and his Japanese-born twin daughters Ouhin and Touhin — will return to China on Wednesday, mainly to find suitable partners for the reproductive-age twins. Four female pandas will remain after the handover, and the park is seeking a male panda to be sent from China.

Pandas, which reproduce rarely in the wild and rely on a diet of bamboo, are among the world's most threatened species. An estimated 1,800 pandas live in the wild, while another 500 are in zoos or reserves, mostly in Sichuan.

Agencies Via Xinhua