Shirahama: All four giant pandas at a zoo in the Adventure World amusement park in the town of Shirahama, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, left for China on Saturday morning. The pandas, all females, were reported to be in good health and displayed typical behavior, although they appeared slightly disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings, a zookeeper noted.

According to Philippines News agency, the pandas departed at 8:45 a.m. in two trucks. The group included 24-year-old Rauhin and her three daughters, Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4. A crowd of fans gathered at the zoo to bid farewell, capturing the moment with their smartphones and waving as the pandas left. The emotional scene saw some attendees in tears.

Adventure World has seen the birth of 17 pandas, beginning with Rauhin in 2000. Koji Imazu, head of the zoo, expressed pride in the zoo's accomplishments, stating, "We just worked hard for the 17 cubs born here, but looking back, we are all proud of this big achievement of raising them. We'd like to see all four doing well again someday."

Following the departure of the pandas from Shirahama, the only remaining giant pandas in Japan will be at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. All giant pandas in Japan, including those born in the country, are on loan from China as part of breeding research efforts.