Overview

• Over 2,000 fans queued up from early morning, some camping overnight, to see the pandas one last time at Ueno Zoological Gardens.
• Ri Ri and Shin Shin, both 19 years old, were sent back to China for medical treatment, including high blood pressure management.
• The pandas arrived at Ueno Zoo in 2011 and have since become a major attraction, giving birth to three cubs during their stay.
• Visitors were allowed only a few minutes to view the pandas, with strict crowd control measures in place.
• China's 'panda diplomacy' program, which loans pandas to foreign zoos, aims to foster international goodwill while maintaining ownership of the animals.