Yesterday, panda fans flocked to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo to bid farewell to two giant pandas scheduled to be returned to China at the end of this month. When the four-year-old panda twins, Xiaoxiao and Lili, leave, Japan will be without pandas for the first time since 1972, prompting thousands to seek tickets for the farewell event, which were distributed by lottery. Machiko Seki, 54, who works in finance, said, "I have been coming here ever since Xiaoxiao and Lili's parents were here." She added, "I feel like the story of this family is coming to an end." Although their move to China has been planned for some time, the absence of the pandas is seen as a reflection of the deterioration in relations between Beijing and Tokyo in recent months. However, the political tension did not concern zoo visitors yesterday, as each of them was given only a one-minute chance to see the pandas. "I wanted to come today to express my gratitude," she said.
