In a recent interview, we delved into the sensitive subject of animal diplomacy between China and Japan, with a particular focus on the recent gifting of endangered Japanese cranes, known as “toki,” from China to Japan. The two cranes, named “Yangyang” (right) and “Youyou” (left), are now residing at the Sado Toki Conservation Center. While historically, China has used “animal diplomacy” to strengthen ties with its diplomatic partners, current tensions—exacerbated by incidents of violence targeting Japanese nationals in China—suggest that this diplomatic approach may be faltering.
On September 29, the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo made headlines by returning two giant pandas to China. Soon after, it was announced that the Japanese government would be sending back at least 16 toki to China. This symbolic gesture celebrates the successful collaborative breeding efforts for this endangered species, especially significant since the last wild toki in Japan was declared extinct in 2003. The current toki population in Japan, introduced from China in 1990, is a testament to the friendship between the two nations.
In 1985, both countries signed a memorandum as part of the “Japan-China Joint Protection Plan for Toki,” committing to various legislative measures, rehabilitation efforts, and educational programs aimed at protecting the species. Traditionally, Japan returned half of the toki offspring to China, a process that commenced in March 2002 and concluded in March 2016, resulting in the return of 47 birds over seven exchanges.
However, this process has recently faced challenges, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and avian influenza, as well as logistical hurdles regarding transportation costs between the involved departments in both countries.
Sources reveal that the 16 toki being returned to China were born between 2016 and 2022 at the Sado Toki Conservation Center in Niigata Prefecture, comprising seven males and nine females. Their transportation to Beijing is expected by the end of October, pending confirmation of their health, after which they will be cared for at the Beijing Zoo once all necessary arrangements are complete.
