Japan's last giant pandas were returned to China in June 2025, leaving the country without any pandas for the first time in over five decades. In response, one Japanese zoo has introduced an "experience programme" where zookeepers in panda suits interact with visitors inside panda enclosures. This initiative aims to educate the public and mitigate disappointment over the absence of live pandas, which have been a significant cultural symbol and part of a long-standing cultural exchange with China.