Two popular pandas are set to leave Tokyo for China Tuesday, leaving Japan without any of the beloved bears for the first time in 50 years as ties between the Asian neighbours fray.
Panda twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao are due to be transported by truck out of Ueno Zoological Gardens, their birthplace, disappointing many Japanese fans who have grown attached to the furry four-year-olds.
kAmQp=E9@F89 x 42?VE D66 E96>[ x 42>6 E@ D92C6 E96 D2>6 2:C H:E9 E96> 2?5 E@ D2J[ Vw@A6 J@FV== 36 ~z[VQ @?6 H@>2? G:D:E:?8 E96 K@@ E@=5 AF3=:4 3C@2542DE6C }wz]k^Am
kAm%96 A2?52DV 23CFAE C6EFC? H2D 2??@F?465 =2DE >@?E9 5FC:?8 2 5:A=@>2E:4 DA2E E92E 3682? H96? y2A2?6D6 !C:>6 |:?:DE6C $2?26 %2<2:49: 9:?E65 E92E %@<J@ 4@F=5 :?E6CG6?6 >:=:E2C:=J :? E96 6G6?E @7 2? 2EE24< @? %2:H2?]k^Am
kAmw6C 4@>>6?E AC@G@<65 E96 :C6 @7 q6:;:?8[ H9:49 C682C5D E96 :D=2?5 2D :ED @H? E6CC:E@CJ]k^Am
kAm%96 5:DE:?4E:G6 3=24<\2?5\H9:E6 2?:>2=D[ =@2?65 @FE 2D A2CE @7 r9:?2VD QA2?52 5:A=@>24JQ[ 92G6 DJ>3@=:D65 7C:6?5D9:A 36EH66? q6:;:?8 2?5 %@<J@ D:?46 E96J ?@C>2=:D65 5:A=@>2E:4 E:6D :? `hfa]k^Am
kAm%96:C C6A2EC:2E:@? 4@>6D 2 >@?E9 367@C6 E96:C =@2? A6C:@5 6IA:C6D :? u63CF2CJ[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 %@<J@ |6EC@A@=:E2? v@G6C?>6?E[ H9:49 @A6C2E6D &6?@ +@@]k^Am
kAmy2A2? 92D C6A@CE65=J 366? D66<:?8 E96 =@2? @7 2 ?6H A2:C @7 A2?52D]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ 2 H66<6?5 A@== 3J E96 =:36C2= pD29: $9:>3F? ?6HDA2A6C D9@H65 E92E f_ A6C46?E @7 E9@D6 DFCG6J65 5@ ?@E E9:?< E96 8@G6C?>6?E D9@F=5 ?68@E:2E6 H:E9 r9:?2 @? E96 =62D6 @7 ?6H A2?52D[ H9:=6 ae A6C46?E H@F=5 =:<6 E96> E@]k^Am
kAm~? $F?52J[ &6?@ +@@ :?G:E65 D@>6 c[c__ =F4<J H:??6CD @7 2? @?=:?6 =@EE6CJ E@ D66 E96 A2?52D 7@C E96 =2DE E:>6]k^Am
kAm!2DD:@?2E6 72?D H:E9@FE E:4<6ED DE:== EFC?65 @FE 2E E96 A2C<[ DA@CE:?8 A2?52\E96>65 D9:CED[ 328D 2?5 5@==D E@ 56>@?DEC2E6 E96:C =@G6 @7 E96 2?:>2=D]k^Am
kAmr9:?2 92D 5:D4@FC2865 :ED ?2E:@?2=D 7C@> EC2G6==:?8 E@ y2A2?[ 4:E:?8 56E6C:@C2E:?8 AF3=:4 D64FC:EJ 2?5 4C:>:?2= 24ED 282:?DE r9:?6D6 ?2E:@?2=D :? E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am
kAmq6:;:?8 :D C6A@CE65=J 2=D@ 49@<:?8 @77 6IA@CED E@ y2A2? @7 C2C6\62CE9 AC@5F4ED 4CF4:2= 7@C >2<:?8 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 6=64EC:4 42CD E@ >:DD:=6D]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ r9:?2 C@FE:?6=J C6>@G6D A2?52D 7C@> 7@C6:8? 4@F?EC:6D 2?5 E96 =2E6DE >@G6 >2J ?@E 36 A@=:E:42==J >@E:G2E65[ D2:5 |2D2<: x6?282[ 2 AC@76DD@C 2E %@<J@ (@>2?VD r9C:DE:2? &?:G6CD:EJ 2?5 2? 6IA6CE :? t2DE pD:2? :?E6C?2E:@?2= C6=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAmQx7 J@F E2=< 23@FE Wr9:?6D6X A@=:E:4D[ E96 E:>:?8 @7 D6?5:?8 A2?52D :D H92E 4@F?ED[Q 2?5 A2?52D 4@F=5 C6EFC? E@ y2A2? :7 3:=2E6C2= E:6D H2C>[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm~E96C 4@F?EC:6D FD6 2?:>2=D 2D E@@=D @7 5:A=@>24J[ :?4=F5:?8 %92:=2?5 H:E9 :ED 6=6A92?ED 2?5 pFDEC2=:2 H:E9 :ED <@2=2D[ 96 25565]k^Am
kAmQqFE A2?52D 2C6 DA64:2=[Q 96 D2:5] Q%96J 92G6 DEC@?8 4FDE@>6C\5C2H:?8 A@H6C[ 2?5]]] E96J 42? 62C? >@?6J]Qk^Am
kAm<9^2A9^>;Hk^Am
