Taiwan Tensions: Japan's Beloved Pandas Face Return to China

• Japan's pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, may return to China due to escalating political tensions over Taiwan.
• China has not confirmed the renewal of the pandas' lease agreement, which expires next month.
• The last public viewing of the pandas at Ueno Zoological Gardens is scheduled for January 25.
• Japanese PM Takaichi's remarks on a "Taiwan contingency" angered China, impacting bilateral relations.
• The situation highlights the uncertainty of "panda diplomacy" amid deteriorating Japan-China ties.

Why It Matters: China-Japan tensions over Taiwan are jeopardizing panda diplomacy.