On September 29, a ceremony for the release of the commemorative album “Me and Dan Dan” and a gratitude event for Dan Dan was held at the Oji Zoo in Kobe, Japan. About 160 fans from across Japan attended, many of whom were moved to tears while reminiscing about the memories of the giant panda “Dan Dan” (Chinese name: “Shuang Shuang”). During the event, the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka appointed Dan Dan as a “Special Envoy for Sino-Japanese Friendship.”
According to a report by NHK on September 29, Dan Dan was born in September 1995 at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center and is a female panda. To aid in the post-earthquake reconstruction efforts following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 2000, she was loaned from China to the Oji Zoo in Kobe. Dan Dan’s adorable appearance won the hearts of the Japanese public, making her a top idol. Unfortunately, she passed away in March this year due to illness, at the age of 28, which is approximately equivalent to 100 years in human lifespan.
The event featured a seven-minute video compiled from over 100 photos of Dan Dan provided by her fans, causing many attendees to tear up as they reflected on her time in Japan. This event was jointly organized by the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka and the Oji Zoo, with around 160 fans selected by lottery from over a thousand applicants to attend.
On the same day, four of Dan Dan’s caretakers shared memories of her 24 years at the Oji Zoo. One caretaker, Hidetaka Kanemitsu, recounted a humorous story: to prepare for Dan Dan’s arrival, he traveled to China for training. During their first interactions, he tried to imitate the Chinese caretakers and gently interacted with her. Although timid at first, Dan Dan did not run away; instead, she obediently accepted the examinations. Dan Dan also had a well-known nickname in the area—“Kobe Princess.”
During the ceremony, Consul General Xue Jian expressed that “Dan Dan was an envoy promoting Sino-Japanese friendship and can be considered an outstanding ‘diplomat.’ For over three years, I have visited this diplomatic predecessor every year and brought her honey and fruit during festivals. The last time I saw Dan Dan was during this year’s Lunar New Year; she seemed weak and lay lazily on the ground, and no one expected it would be our last meeting.”
“Dan Dan’s life was fulfilling; she successfully completed her unique mission, warming the hearts of countless people and earning the love and care of many Japanese friends, contributing a lovely and healing touch to Sino-Japanese friendship,” Xue Jian noted. “I once received a letter from a Japanese friend who said that because of Dan Dan, she wanted to visit China, meet more adorable pandas, and befriend the Chinese people.”
Xue Jian highlighted that panda fans from both countries cared for Dan Dan equally, and that both peoples shared a yearning for beauty and great love. He extended sincere respect to the staff from both China and Japan who cared for Dan Dan over the years and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Japanese friends who have always cared for and loved her.
To honor Dan Dan’s significant role in enhancing mutual understanding and promoting exchanges between the two peoples, the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka conferred upon her the title of “Special Envoy for Sino-Japanese Friendship,” with Consul General Xue Jian presenting the appointment letter to Yujiro Kagaya, the zoo’s director.
A Japanese woman who traveled from Takamatsu City to attend the event remarked, “Dan Dan completed her life journey with a smile, and her optimistic attitude has greatly influenced me. Remembering the joy Dan Dan brought us today will become a precious treasure in my life.”
It is reported that this year, the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka launched a series of activities called “See China, Travel China,” urging all Dan Dan fans to visit China, see Dan Dan’s birthplace, and experience the real and adorable new China, elevating “panda love” to “human love” and transforming from Dan Dan fans to fans of China.