The last two pandas in Japan are leaving for China as ties are strained

Japanese panda fans have seen their beloved pandas return to China over the past decades, but bidding farewell to beloved twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Sunday’s final public viewing at Tokyo’s Ueno zoo is especially emotional. Their departure Tuesday will leave Japan without a panda for the first time in more than half a century, and the outlook for getting a replacement is not positive as Tokyo’s relations with Beijing plunge. The panda twins have attracted massive crowds despite a one-minute viewing limit set by the zoo, ahead of Tuesday's departure.