When Ueno Zoo’s last pandas leave this month, the loss won’t just be emotional. Economists estimate the absence of pandas could cost the area ¥15 billion a year — a reminder that pandas are serious business. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/23/japan/society/japan-china-panda-diplomacy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #chinajapanrelations #china #pandas #ueno #tokyo #animals #zoos #uenozoo