Tokyo, Jan. 25 -- Japan's last two pandas, twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were seen by visitors at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo on Sunday ahead of their scheduled return to China later this month, as reported by The Taipei Times.

Their departure will mark the first time Japan will be without giant pandas since 1972, amid tensions between the two countries.

The two pandas were born in 2021 at the Ueno Zoo, to mother Shin Shin and father Ri Ri. The parents were returned to China in 2024, a year after the twins' sister Xiang Xiang was also sent back.

Japan first received giant pandas in 1972 to commemorate the normalisation of diplomatic relations with China, CNN reported. Since then, additional pandas have either arrived from China or been born locall...