Japan's beloved panda couple return home after heartfelt farewell
30/09/2024 02:59
By Akiko Okamoto
TOKYO, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Japan's beloved elderly giant
pandas Shin Shin and Ri Ri were safely returned to China on
Sunday, Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Garden reported on its website.
The two pandas arrived at the Ueno zoo in 2011, bringing a
little lightness to the country just months after a devastating
earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11 of that year, and
continued to draw fans of all ages over the years.
When it was announced a month ago that the elderly pandas
would soon be returned to China to be treated for high blood
pressure, visitors flocked to see the pair before they left.
Hiyori Sakurai, an artist in her 30s, said she has been
visiting the zoo every Sunday and even some weekdays when she
could take time off from work.
"Whenever I go through a hard time, I would go see Ri Ri and
Shin Shin, and they always cheered me up," she said.
Etsuko Tokuda, a self-employed woman in her 60s, has been
going to the zoo almost everyday since the return announcement.
"Each day was important to me. I wanted to see them even if
they were sleeping."
Native to China, pandas have through the years become
"envoys of friendship" and China's offer of pandas to other
countries has been dubbed panda diplomacy.
Saturday was the last chance to see Shin Shin and Ri Ri at
the Ueno zoo, but their twins, born in June 2021, will remain.
While sad to see the panda couple go, retiree Harumi
Iteguchi took some comfort.
"Knowing that Ri Ri and Shin Shin will go back together as a
couple to their home country cheered me up a bit."
(Reporting by Akiko Okamoto; Writing by Brigid Riley; Editing
by Michael Perry)
((brigid.riley@thomsonreuters.com;))