Japan will ask China to provide new panda bears to Ueno Zoo during the summit between President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda next week in Tokyo, a Foreign Ministry official said Wednesday.
The request will be made to replace the Tokyo zoo's superstar Ling Ling, a 22-year-old giant panda who died Wednesday morning.
Ling Ling was the last panda owned by Japan.