All four giant pandas at a zoo in Adventure World in Wakayama Prefecture will be transferred to China around the end of June, the leisure facility said Thursday.
If the four pandas go to China under the terms of a loan agreement and no new additions join the zoo, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo would be the only remaining giant pandas housed in Japan.
Adventure World is home to 24-year-old female Rauhin and her three daughters — 8-year-old Yuihin, 6-year-old Saihin and 4-year-old Fuhin.
All four were born at Adventure World. Rauhin became the first giant panda born at the facility back in September 2000.
With a contract between the facility and the Chinese side ending in August this year, the two sides decided that the four pandas will go to China in June, when temperatures are relatively cool, the facility said.
Adventure World did not say whether the Chinese side would newly send over giant pandas to the zoo.
According to the leisure facility, experts from China said that it would be better for aging Rauhin to go to China to live in a dedicated facility with medical care.
Rauhin's daughters will be sent to China to find a mate for future breeding opportunities.
The four pandas will live at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the inland province of Sichuan.
All giant pandas living in Japan are loaned by China for breeding research purposes. China legally owns all such animals, including those born at Japanese zoos.
Noting that the facility marked the 30th anniversary of its Japan-China Joint Research on Giant Panda Breeding program in September last year, Adventure World said, "We'll continue discussions with the Chinese side as we strongly hope for a continuation of the project."
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