Lei Lei

Lei Lei is a female giant panda, one of a pair of twins (along with Xiao Xiao) born at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo. These pandas are newsworthy because their departure to China in January 2026 marks the first time in approximately 50 years that Japan has been without any pandas. Their return is occurring amidst strained relations between Japan and China, leading some to see it as a symbolic end to a period of Sino-Japanese friendship. The pandas' departure was moved up a month ahead of schedule due to these escalating tensions. Large crowds gathered to bid farewell to Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, highlighting their popularity and the emotional connection many Japanese people felt towards them. Giant pandas have historically been used as symbols of diplomacy by China, making their return particularly significant in the context of current geopolitical relations.