Sawt Falasteen - Japan's beloved last pandas leave for China as ties fray

Panda twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao are due to be transported by truck out of Ueno Zoological Gardens, their birthplace, disappointing many Japanese fans who have grown attached to the furry four-year-olds.

"Although I can't see them, I came to share the same air with them and to say, 'Hope you'll be OK,'" one woman visiting the zoo told public broadcaster NHK.

The pandas' abrupt return was announced last month during a diplomatic spat that began when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan.

Her comment provoked the ire of Beijing, which regards the island as its own territory.

The distinctive black-and-white animals, loaned out as part of China's "panda diplomacy", have symbolised friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since they normalised diplomatic ties in 1972.

Their repatriation comes a month before their loan period expires in February, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates Ueno Zoo.

Japan has reportedly been seeking the loan of a new pair of pandas.

However, a weekend poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed that 70 percent of those surveyed do not think the government should negotiate with China on the lease of new pandas, while 26 percent would like them to.

On Sunday, Ueno Zoo invited some 4,400 lucky winners of an online lottery to see the pandas for the last time.

Passionate fans without tickets still turned out at the park, sporting panda-themed shirts, bags and dolls to demonstrate their love of the animals.

China has discouraged its nationals from travelling to Japan, citing deteriorating public security and criminal acts against Chinese nationals in the country.

Beijing is reportedly also choking off exports to Japan of rare-earth products crucial for making everything from electric cars to missiles.

However, China routinely removes pandas from foreign countries and the latest move may not be politically motivated, said Masaki Ienaga, a professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University and an expert in East Asian international relations.

"If you talk about (Chinese) politics, the timing of sending pandas is what counts," and pandas could return to Japan if bilateral ties warm, he said.

Other countries use animals as tools of diplomacy, including Thailand with its elephants and Australia with its koalas, he added.

"But pandas are special," he said. "They have strong customer-drawing power, and... they can earn money."

P.AbuBaker--SF-PST