In 1984, Adventure World established friendly relations with Jinan Zoo in China.
After establishing friendly prefecture-province ties between Wakayama and Shandong in 1984, Adventure World signed a friendly relation agreement with Jinan Zoo, called Jinniu Zoological Park at that time, in 1987. In 1988, the park started to actively engage in exchanges of animals and personnel, with Jinan Zoo sending us 18 animals of four different species, including red pandas, and our park sending them 13 animals of six different species, including elephants and giraffes. Additionally, for seven years beginning in 1988 cultural exchanges were held at the park in such forms as demonstrations of Shaolin martial arts, performances of acrobatic troupes, and exhibitions and fairs of Chinese products. Commemorating the 20th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between Japan and China, in 1992 two golden snub-nosed monkeys were sent from Jinan Zoo for a four-month exhibit, courtesy of the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens and Shandong Province. Many park visitors got a chance to see these animals classified as a first-class protected species in China and rarely seen anywhere in Japan. That was also a great opportunity for us all to think about such endangered species.
Animal Exchanges with Jinan Zoo
| Year | Imported Animals | Exported Animals |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Red Panda (4) | African Elephant (1),Baboon (2),Indian Peafowl (4) |
| 1989 | Eurasian Otter (3),Spot-billed Pelican (7) | Masai Giraffe (1),Bengal Tiger (3) |
| 1991 | Red Panda (1) | |
| 1992 | Masai Giraffe (1) | |
| 1993 | Smooth-coated Otter (3) | Asian Elephant (1) |
| Total | 18 animals of 4 species | 13 animals of 6 species |
- Not including short-term exhibits
In April 1984, Wakayama Prefecture and Shandong Province in China established friendly relations, kicking off many exchanges in areas of tourism, human resources, economy, and culture. In March 2020, a memorandum was signed with Sichuan Province for exchanges in tourism, disaster prevention, medical care, education, and economy. Then, in January 2022, a partnership agreement was reached with the province and we look forward to building long-lasting friendships also into the future. Since 1994, with the start of our joint giant panda breeding research, Shirahama and Chenghua District in Chengdu have continued interaction and cooperation. Now we have our name as the Japanese Branch of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding out at the park. By returning the 11 pandas born at our park to China, we gave many people a reason to pay visit to the nation, where giant panda is from. In September 2007, direct flights between Japan and Chengdu began operations, and as a result even greater numbers of people paid a visit to Chengdu and Wolong to see pandas. Additionally, a memorandum of friendship and cooperation was signed in December 2020. In this way, giant pandas play a major role in fostering trust and mutual understanding between Japan and China.
Partnerships Between Wakayama Municipalities and China
| Place | Partner | Location | Partnership Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wakayama Prefecture | Shandong Province | China | April 18, 1984 |
| Wakayama | Jinan | China (Shandong Province) | January 14, 1983 |
| Hashimoto | Taian | China (Shandong Province) | May 13,1987 |
| Kinokawa | Binzhou | China (Shandong Province) | October 15, 2007 |
| Katsuragi | Laixi | China (Shandong Province) | October 27, 1994 |
| Aridagawa | Guixi | China (Jiangxi Province) | August 30, 2006 |
| Nachi-Katsuura | Anshun (Huangguoshu Falls) | China (Guizhou Province) | August 29, 2006 |
| Wakayama Prefecture | Sichuan Province | China | March 24, 2020 |
| Shirahama | Chenghua District, Chengdu | China (Sichuan Province) | December 22, 2020 |
| Koya | Gulou District, Fuzhou | China (Fujian Province) | May 12, 2021 |
Remarks: Conclusion of Memorandum Exchange of Written Statements