Reference News Network, January 27 report: According to the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun website on January 25, after the overseas giant pandas that have reached their retirement age return to China, most of them live in the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. These panda bases in Sichuan have attracted more and more Japanese tourists.
The report said that in mid-January, Chinese and Japanese tourists lined up at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to watch the female giant panda "Aya Hama", who was born and raised in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
"Aya Hama" and her mother "Ryoko Hama", along with four other giant pandas, returned to China from Japan last June. Wakayama Prefecture entered a state without giant pandas earlier than Tokyo. According to staff from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, since the four pandas were publicly introduced last autumn, the number of Japanese tourists has increased sharply.
The report said that a 40-year-old female company employee from Sakai used to visit Wakayama every month to see the giant pandas. Looking at the female giant panda "Momo Hama" next to her, she said with a wishful expression: "I hope the giant pandas that returned to China can breed offspring, and their cubs can come to Japan."
The giant pandas "Xiaoxiao" and "Lele" living in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo will move to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. There are also many Japanese tourists there.
The most popular one is the female giant panda "Huong Hwang", who was born in Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. A 51-year-old female company employee from Saitama carefully took photos of "Huong Hwang" eating bamboo. She said, "I hope it can go back to Japan after the improvement of Sino-Japanese relations." Another 36-year-old male company employee from Aichi Prefecture also smiled and said, "It's the most famous giant panda in this research center, and its round shape is very cute."
The report said that at a routine press conference on January 21, when asked whether to continue to lease giant pandas to Japan, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We welcome the Japanese people to come to China to see the giant pandas," and did not show a positive attitude towards renewing the giant panda leasing agreement. (Translated by Ma Xiaoyun)
Photo taken on October 30, 2025, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Xinhua News Agency)
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7599961139548324371/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.