Japan in mourning over death of baby panda

The death of a baby panda has saddened the people of Japan.

Ueno Zoo in Tokyo announced Wednesday that a panda born Thursday last week died of pneumonia. When the animal stopped breathing embraced in the belly of its mother Wednesday morning, zoo staff moved it to an incubator and took emergency measures including heart stimulation but to no avail.

Japanese media reported the panda’s sudden death as breaking news. The major daily Yomiuri Shimbun reported the news on the front page of its evening edition.

The Japanese have a strong affection for the panda due to the animal`s cute appearance. When the baby panda was born, stores around the zoo even made souvenirs, including cakes and caps.

Certain Chinese restaurants halved their prices to celebrate, and media outlets in Japan, which have hardly had good news to report, reported on the birth daily.

In February, China donated to Japan in the form of a lease Shin Shin and Li Li, the mother and father of the baby panda that died Wednesday, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the recovery of diplomatic ties between Japan and China that falls this year.

lovesong@donga.com