Key Facts
• June 2025: Four giant pandas returned to China for quarantine.
• July 11, 2025: “China National Day” held at Osaka-Kansai Expo.
• Japan’s Secretary-General Moriyama met Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
• Moriyama requested a new loan of giant pandas from China.
• Japan’s only remaining pandas, twins at Ueno Zoo, face February 2026 return deadline.
• Talks included resuming Japanese beef exports to China after 24 years.
• Negotiations occurred during the Expo, a platform for global cooperation.
Summary
During the “China National Day” at the Osaka-Kansai Expo on July 11, 2025, Japan’s Secretary-General Moriyama met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Key discussions included Japan’s request for a new loan of giant pandas, as the country faces the possibility of having no pandas by February 2026. Additionally, talks progressed on resuming Japanese beef exports to China, which have been halted for nearly 24 years. The negotiations, held against the backdrop of the Expo’s theme of global cooperation, aim to strengthen Japan-China relations and address mutual interests.
