Giant panda Ling Ling died today in Tokyo Zoo, Ueno.  He was 22 which, in panda years, is equivalent to 70 for a man. 

To commemorate the anniversary between China and Japan he was given to Japanese zoo in 1992, in exchange for panda born in Japan.  He was born in the Beijing zoo in 1985.   

For ten years, as a sign of friendship, China gave giant pandas to foreign governments. Now however they are at risk of extinction and the Beijing government has suspended this "panda diplomacy". 

[source: AGI/REUTERS]

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