Tokyo Gov. Ishihara: Giant Pandas Aren’t So Great

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara has made the news today with some statements about Giant Pandas:

Ishihara’s outburst came following the death of Ling Ling, a 22-year-old panda that died on Wednesday at Ueno Zoo, leaving the animal park without one of the enormously popular pandas for the first time in 36 years.

And the governor’s anti-panda rhetoric also coincided neatly with the national government’s attempts to be sound out its Chinese counterpart about the chances of getting a new panda for Tokyo.

“It’s not like (pandas) are sacred or anything. Do we really need them?” the governor told reporters during a regular news conference. “Living creatures die. Pandas die. The world’s not such a big place anymore, so if people want to see pandas, they should go to where the pandas are.”

Another quote from an AP story:

Ishihara also touched on the death on Wednesday of a popular giant panda gifted by China to a Tokyo zoo and the subsequent termination of giant panda exhibits at the zoo, saying, “It’s not something everyone should cry hard about and feel sad.”

Does Ishihara dislike giant pandas? Could his opinion be influenced by the fact that a new panda would most certainly require expensive annual payments to the Chinese government?

http://www.sanokame.com Sano

It’s most likely a money issue, whether he dislikes pandas or not is hard to say, but he doesn’t seem to be too amazed of them.
Bad Wolf

Well, I am sorry, but I can’t really get all worked up about pandas either. They just don’t do anything for me. The damn thing is dead, and I really don’t care.

My opinion has not a wit to do with money.
Jarvik7

I’ve gotta agree with Blinkey – not just because the pandas insanely expensive due to the rental fees to China (which itself is ridiculous), but also because they are no more special to me than a bear or something.

Plus, I’m tired of seeing coverage of LinLin on tv the the past couple of days. It seems Blinkey has had enough too.
http://calabozodelandroide.com/ Xacur

There’s a girl in Morning Musume named Lin Lin, she’s one of two members that are from China, and people call them Pandas.
When I heard that “Panda Lin Lin” had died I thought the worst thing, it was just a second, but then, to know a real panda is the one who died, well, don’t sound too bad.
Grinz

so just out of curiosity, what do they do with the giant panda carcass? do they ship it back to China for a funeral, do they bury it in japan, do they toss it into the incinerator, or do they harvest the the savable meat and have rare gourmet panda shabu-shabu?

Richard

“Panda meat cures cancer”
–Jon Stewart

http://www.victorymanual.com Alex

Giant Pandas are endangered, which is unfortunate, but having one at the zoo in Ueno shouldn’t be a priority – Ishihara is right.

The thing is, Ishihara is a politician, and his rhetoric leaves something to be desired, especially considering that he represents Tokyo residents.

Jarvik7

I’d say in this case he’s doing the right thing by wanting to do what’s right for the city, instead of just trying to appeal to the emotions of the voters and make himself likeable. In other words, he’s being a good politician.

Pingback: Panda-less Ueno Zoo sees drop in visitor numbers | Japan Probe

Tokyo Gov. Ishihara: Giant Pandas Aren’t So Great

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