On July 25, a group of Japanese youth visited the giant panda exhibit at Liuzhou Zoo in Guangxi, China. Their excitement was palpable as they marveled at the adorable giant pandas.
The visit was part of the “2024 Japan Friendship City Youth Visit and Exchange Group,” organized by the Guangxi People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. The group, consisting of about 50 Japanese youths, was particularly captivated by Ming Bang, a giant panda that had once lived in Japan.
Since 1994, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has collaborated with Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan, on an international giant panda breeding program. Ming Bang was born in Japan in December 2006 and lived there for six years before returning to China.
One university student, Beppu Akihisa, wore a panda-patterned shirt specifically for the occasion. He said, “This is my first time seeing a giant panda, and seeing one that once lived in Japan makes it even more special.”
Another Japanese youth, Machida Takashi, who also eagerly anticipated the visit, exclaimed in fluent Chinese, “The giant pandas are so cute.” He had previously seen giant pandas in Tokyo and noted that many Japanese people love them.
At the giant panda exhibit, the variety of panda-themed souvenirs proved irresistible to the Japanese youth. “I hope to bring back these uniquely Chinese souvenirs for my friends and family,” said Umezawa Nanami.