The situation has led China to refuse Japan's request for an extension of the panda lease and the provision of new animals. This event marks the end of more than fifty years of pandas residing on Japanese soil and highlights the role of China's "panda diplomacy" — a symbol of friendship between the two countries established since the normalization of relations in 1972.
Other countries also use animals as symbols of their "soft power," such as Thailand with its elephants and Australia with koalas.
