In accordance with the China-Japan Giant Panda International Cooperation Agreement, and after friendly consultation, the giant pandas “Bili” (male, born in August 2005) and “Xian Nu” (female, born in July 2005) have safely returned to Chengdu today from Japan’s Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.
To ensure the smooth and safe return of the two pandas, China sent experienced experts to Japan in advance to assist in their care. These experts familiarized themselves with the pandas’ living habits and feeding routines, collaborated with Japanese experts on behavior training, routine medical examinations, and health assessments, and accompanied the pandas back to China on the same flight alongside Japanese caretakers (How Do Overseas Giant Pandas Return to China?).

Since their arrival at Ueno Zoo in 2011, “Bili” and “Xian Nu” quickly became star attractions, gaining a large following of Japanese fans. Over the past decade, the pair has brought joy to zoo visitors and welcomed three adorable cubs: “Xiang Xiang,” “Xiao Xiao,” and “Lei Lei.”
On the morning of the 28th, even before the zoo gates opened, Japanese fans of “Bili” and “Xian Nu” had already formed long lines at the entrance. Some fans had even queued outside the zoo from the previous night, hoping to catch one last glimpse of the pandas before their return to China.