Japan is set to lose its remaining two giant pandas early next year, as the animals housed at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo are returned to China, a move that could leave the country without the iconic species for the first time in around 50 years, AFP reports.

The pandas, twins named Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao, are scheduled to be repatriated in January, shortly before the formal end of their loan agreement in February. The Tokyo metropolitan government, which operates the zoo, has said efforts to extend their stay were unsuccessful, despite the animals’ popularity and their status as one of the capital’s most visited attractions. The move back to China comes as friction increases between Tokyo and Beijing over comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the defence of Taiwan should China move to invade the self-governing island.

Giant pandas have long carried diplomatic significance in Japan, arriving as part of China’s so-called panda diplomacy following the normalisation of bilateral relations in 1972, AFP continues. Over the decades, the animals have served as highly visible symbols of goodwill, drawing large crowds and extensive media attention.

While officials in Tokyo have indicated that local governments and zoos remain keen to host pandas in future, securing a new loan agreement is expected to be challenging.

Ueno Zoo has previously played a central role in international co-operation on panda conservation and breeding, an endeavour known to be complex given the species’ low fertility rates and high cub mortality. For now, however, the departure of Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao marks the end of an era for Japanese panda enthusiasts.