Four Pandas in Japan Return to China: 24-year-old "Rauhin" Returns Home to Enjoy Her Later Years

At around 8 a.m. on the 28th, four pandas at Adventure World amusement park in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, departed from the park on a transport truck, embarking on their journey back to China.

The four pandas being sent back are the wife and daughters of the famous Japan-based panda "Eimei," known as a "China-Japan Friendship Envoy." These are 24-year-old mother "Rauhin," 8-year-old "Yuihin," 6-year-old "Saihin," and 4-year-old "Fuhin."

After returning to China, the four pandas will live in breeding research facilities in Sichuan Province. Rauhin, now elderly, will return to China to enjoy her later years, while Yuihin, Saihin, and Fuhin will participate in breeding programs.

As the Japan-China panda cooperation and conservation project will expire in August this year, to reduce the physical stress on the pandas during transport, both parties agreed to complete the transfer in June, when temperatures are relatively cool.

According to Kyodo News, the 27th was the last day the four pandas met with the public. When the park opened at 9 that morning, numerous visitors hurried to say goodbye to the pandas.

A company employee, Tomoko Kawabe, who came from Asaka City in Saitama Prefecture, said she has been coming here to see the pandas regularly for about thirteen or fourteen years. "I hope they will have a happy life in China."

Mariko Tsuge, a housewife from Nishio City in Aichi Prefecture, said she arrived at the park as early as 3:15 a.m. to park in the lot that opened at 5:30 a.m. "Thank you to the pandas for always bringing us smiles. I hope they live long lives."

Adventure World began joint panda breeding research with China in 1994. To date, they have bred 17 pandas, the highest number outside China.

After this repatriation, if no new pandas arrive in Japan, "Xiaoxiao" and "Leilei" at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo will be the only two pandas remaining in Japan.