Japan is about to lose its last pandas because it dared to say it would not lie down for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
The country’s only two, twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, will be shipped back to China in January 2026 when their loan expires, and Japanese outlets say Beijing has gone radio silent on any replacements. For the first time since 1973, a country that actually treats pandas well will have none, all because it refused to bow to the Communist Party’s war plans.
The situation escalated after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi openly stated that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would activate Japan’s “collective self-defense” obligations and lead Japan to support the United States. This is a reasonable response when a neighboring democracy is threatened. In response, Beijing acted aggressively. China’s consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, posted online that they should “cut off the Japanese prime minister’s head,” showing how the regime views democratic leaders who stand their ground.
This situation shows us the underlying mechanisms of “panda diplomacy.” All giant pandas in captivity remain the property of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and are leased to foreign countries as instruments of political influence rather than as gifts, and without any care for the well-being of the animals themselves. When governments comply with Beijing’s expectations, pandas remain, and diplomatic engagements continue.
Then, on the other hand, when a country such as Japan supports Taiwan and aligns with the United States, the pandas are withdrawn, and diplomatic pressure intensifies.