Go Panda Go!

This article examines the invention and exhibitions of the panda circus to explore the political, economic, and cultural influence of the giant panda on China–Japan diplomacy and the transnational cultural economy. Using oral history interviews and archival materials, the authors explain how, in 1981, a giant panda named Wei Wei became China’s first panda entertainer in Japan, embarking on a cross-country tour supported by friendship-city agreements and grassroots friendship movements. By discussing Wei Wei’s unexpected and sometimes ferocious responses to human demands, as well as Japanese media reporting on his “rebellion”, the authors show how Wei Wei’s behaviour raised Japanese public awareness of the giant panda’s individuality and agency. The circus tour not only facilitated municipal-level China–Japan relations but also generated a new mode of anthropomorphizing the giant panda—one that challenged consumerist representations and helped Japanese audiences recognize the giant panda’s suffering. The authors argue that Wei Wei’s “rebellion” disrupted human political expectations and economic transactions in this episode of China–Japan diplomacy, contributing to a re-envisioning of bilateral relations beyond a strictly political-economic framework. Overall, the article offers an interdisciplinary, trans-Asia approach that explores the intersections of animal agency, emotional labour, international relations, media, and performance.