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Japan will be without giant pandas for the first time in over 50 years as twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei depart Ueno Zoo next week. Their departure follows the expiration of a 10-year loan agreement with China, which observers interpret as a sign of Beijing's discontent with Tokyo amid worsening bilateral relations.

This deterioration intensified after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on military intervention regarding Taiwan in November 2025. Concurrently, Japan is entering a significant phase in its national security planning, shifting its strategic focus eastward into the Pacific.

The Ministry of Defense is considering establishing a Pacific Defense Concept Office to coordinate defense infrastructure, surveillance, and operational concepts against a backdrop of increased Chinese naval activity. This initiative includes enhancing defense capabilities on remote islands and integrating them into a broader security framework. Japan aims to bolster resilience and ensure alliance mobility in the face of regional tensions.