Prolific panda Eimei flies back to China after 28 years in Japan

Giant panda Eimei, together with its twin cubs Ouhin and Touhin, born in Japan, arrives home in Southwest China's Sichuan province on Wednesday night. (Photo/Xinhua)

After 28 years winning the hearts of passionate fans in Japan, giant panda Eimei bid a tearful farewell and flew back to China on Wednesday, marking a new chapter for the much-loved mammal.

The 30-year-old male panda has been in the spotlight for most of his life as the "oldest giant panda living in Japan", the "super papa" of 16 giant panda cubs and "the special envoy for Sino-Japan friendship".

Eimei, or Yong Ming in Chinese, was born at Beijing Zoo in 1992. He was sent to Adventure World, an amusement park in Shirahama of Wakayama prefecture in 1994, as part of the long-term giant panda breeding cooperation plan between China and Japan. He mated with two female pandas, creating a huge family of his own.

"Super Papa" Eimei's age in panda years corresponds to that of a 90-year-old person, making him world's second-oldest male panda in captivity. At 28, he and his then 20-year-old mate Rauhin welcomed a new cub, making him the oldest panda in captivity to produce offspring through natural breeding.

Eimei and his eight-year-old Japan-born twin daughters Ouhin and Touhin were flown on a charter flight from Kansai International Airport in Osaka to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Sichuan province arriving at around 11 pm on Wednesday, escorted by Koji Imazu, director of the park. Their transport boxes were inscribed with the words "Take Care!" and "Thanks!" in Chinese.

They will be quarantined for a month at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, before being introduced to the public in China. Eimei returned to China for giant panda protection and breeding research, while his two daughters will begin their search for mates.

Eleven of Eimei's 16 cubs have been sent back to China, Kyodo News reported. Upon their return, now only four female giant pandas are kept at Adventure World, it said.

On Tuesday, Eimei and Touhin made their final public appearance at a farewell ceremony held at the park, where some 2,000 visitors, some waiting in line for hours and some in tears, watched videos of their growth, took photos of them chewing bamboo and bid farewell to their furry friends. Ouhin was absent as she showed signs of being in heat.

The Eimei family has established a deep friendship with the Japanese people with irreplaceable and special contributions to the promotion of Sino-Japanese people-to-people friendship, Fang Wei, acting Chinese consul general in Osaka, said at the ceremony.

Park Director Koji Imazu said he would accompany the pandas to China, the country with the most advanced technology for giant panda protection and breeding, as well as experts with rich experiences, according to a report on the website of the Consulate-General of China in Osaka. He hoped the Japanese friends could visit Eimei and his twin daughters again in China.

Eimei was appointed special envoy for Sino-Japan friendship by Chinese Consul General in Osaka Xue Jian in December, which was the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations.

Their return follows that of 5-year-old Xiang Xiang, a popular Japan-born female giant panda, from Tokyo's Ueno Zoological Gardens on Tuesday.