Japan seeks to loan Giant Pandas from China

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Japan asks to borrow giant pandas from China

 

3 days ago

 

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's prime minister said Thursday he has asked to borrow

some giant pandas from China after Ling Ling, one of the best-loved animals

at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, died of old age this week.

 

Ling Ling, the only giant panda owned by Japan, died Wednesday at the age of

22 -- the equivalent of 70 in human years.

 

His death came just days ahead of a landmark visit to Tokyo by Chinese

President Hu Jintao during which zoo officials are hoping for an agreement

that will bring another panda to Japan.

 

China has a long tradition of offering giant pandas as gifts to foreign

governments to improve ties, but now only leases the animals abroad as they

are an endangered species.

 

Japan already leases eight pandas from China, and Prime Minister Yasuo

Fukuda told reporters he had asked for more.

 

" We have already made such a request through diplomatic channels, " Prime

Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters.

 

" I hear that everybody used to visit the zoo for a glimpse of pandas. I

believe it would be great if the zoo had them. "

 

Reports said Tokyo is hoping China will loan the zoo a pair of the

endangered pandas, who are famed for their apparent lack of interest in sex.

 

Zookeepers tried but failed to encourage Ling Ling to mate with visiting

pandas after Ueno's female panda, Tong Tong, died in 2000.

 

Ling Ling, born in the Beijing Zoo in 1985, was given to Ueno in 1992 in

exchange for a Japanese-born panda to commemorate the 20th anniversary of

the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

Hu is due to visit Japan from May 6-10 for what will be only the second trip

by a Chinese head of state to Tokyo.