Twin giant panda cubs "Lei Lei" and "Xiao Xiao", born last June, are pictured during a public viewing event for the twin pandas at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, Japan Jan 12, 2022. [Photo/Agencies]

For many visitors to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, catching a final glimpse of Japan's last two giant pandas requires patience, persistence and sometimes luck, as many Japanese residents are flocking to say goodbye to Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei before their return to China later this month.

Tezuka, a Tokyo resident, told China Daily she failed to win the lottery for a viewing slot. "I couldn't see the pandas, but I still came to the zoo," she said. Watching photos taken by others and helping visitors take pictures made her feel part of the farewell. To her, the pandas' round eyes and gentle looks are "adorable and soothing".

Offering her wishes, she said:"Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, thank you so much. Please stay healthy."

Another visitor, Shirakuma, was luckier. Learning it would be "the last chance to see them", she said as she applied repeatedly online until she finally secured a viewing slot through the lottery. Calling herself part of Japan's "panda generation", she recalled visiting the zoo with her father when Kang Kang and Lan Lan first arrived in Japan, and said pandas have left fond memories at different stages of her life.

"They are not just cute, but also healing," she said, adding that panda-themed items brighten her mood. She also expressed hope that pandas will one day return to Japan.

Their experiences reflect the strong public response as Japan prepares to bid farewell to its last two giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, who are set to return to China in late January as the China-Japan giant panda loan agreement nears its expiration.

To manage crowds, Ueno Zoo has restricted the visitor numbers to the panda viewing area since Dec 16. From Dec 23, an online reservation system on a first-come, first-served basis was introduced.

The zoo allows about 4,800 visitors per day to view the pandas, with each visit limited to one minute. From Jan 14 to Jan 25, the final days of public viewing, reservations are being allocated through a lottery system.

According to Asahi Shimbun, applications for the final day have already closed, and there were 24.6 entries on average for every available slot.

Following the announcement of the pandas' return to China, long queues began forming more than an hour before the opening of the zoo. The zoo estimates that about 178,000 visitors will view the pandas between Dec 16 and Jan 25.

The Tokyo metropolitan government said on Jan 19 that the twin pandas at Ueno Zoo will be returned to China on Jan 27, leaving Japan without any giant pandas for the first time since 1972.

Upon arrival, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei will undergo quarantine at the Ya'an Bifengxia base, according to a report by the Asahi Shimbun.

The loaning of giant pandas is part of long-standing China-Japan joint research efforts aimed at conserving the species.

As Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei prepare to return to China, Ueno Zoo has launched a series of farewell events, inviting the public to look back on the twins' growth and express appreciation to their presence. The activities include commemorative photo spots, a photo exhibition tracing their development as Ueno Zoo's first twin pandas, and display of messages from zookeepers.

The zoo has also opened an online message board, released special commemorative images, and published a video reviewing 15 years of China-Japan cooperation on giant panda conservation.

On the message board, Japanese netizens wrote: "Thank you for your companionship all this time. Thank you, lovely pandas, for healing me."

China's panda loan program with Japan has been widely regarded as a success, yielding progress in breeding techniques, veterinary care and public education. More than 30 pandas have been flown over from China or born in Japan, including four pandas raised at Adventure World in Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, who were sent back to China.

The cooperation dates back to 1972, when China gifted two giant pandas to Tokyo's Ueno Zoo to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic ties.