A young female crested ibis donated by China arrived in Japan on Saturday to hopefully mate with a male ibis.
The arrival of the rare bird comes under an environmental accord adopted in Tokyo on Friday between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.
Eighteen-month-old Mei Mei was transported to the Sado Crested Ibis Conservation Center on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, to mate with Yu Yu, a 17-month-old male.
Japanese and Chinese officials are taking steps to preserve the endangered species. They voiced hope that, with the pair having reached puberty and the mating season expected in six months, chicks will be born in the spring.