{"id":826289,"date":"2026-07-26T01:27:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T01:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/826289\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T01:27:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T01:27:20","slug":"japans-monkey-sensation-punch-turns-1-drawing-a-flood-of-well-wishing-messages-in-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/826289\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan\u2019s monkey sensation Punch turns 1, drawing a flood of well-wishing messages, in photos"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>ICHIKAWA, Japan (AP) \u2014 <a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/japan-baby-monkey-zoo-7911e0597837b97199a810601f91c35d\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Punch<\/a>, the orphaned monkey at a Japanese zoo that stole many people\u2019s hearts by clinging to an orangutan plushie, is <a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/japan-zoo-monkey-punch-birthday-8b18814f76b8a256a4d1bcbbdd80d0e7\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">marking his first birthday<\/a> with a flood of well-wishing messages from his fans around the world \u2014 even though he now has friends and is no longer holding on to the toy.<\/p>\n<p>____<\/p>\n<p>This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190000\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029234_144_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190001\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"A visitor reaches toward birthday messages for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029234_624_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A visitor reaches toward birthday messages for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>A visitor reaches toward birthday messages for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190002\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029235_219_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190003\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029235_69_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190004\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Kumi Ishizawa, a first-time visitor from Kobe, western Japan, displays a birthday message for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029236_204_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Kumi Ishizawa, a first-time visitor from Kobe, western Japan, displays a birthday message for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Kumi Ishizawa, a first-time visitor from Kobe, western Japan, displays a birthday message for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190005\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Japanese macaques rest and groom one another in their enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. Punch is not pictured. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029236_746_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Japanese macaques rest and groom one another in their enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. Punch is not pictured. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Japanese macaques rest and groom one another in their enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. Punch is not pictured. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190006\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, pauses at the shade at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029237_671_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, pauses at the shade at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, pauses at the shade at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190007\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029238_454_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, plays at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190008\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Visitors gather to watch Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029238_902_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Visitors gather to watch Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Visitors gather to watch Punch, a young Japanese macaque, at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-190009\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"Punch, a young Japanese macaque, eats at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"899\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029239_253_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, eats at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>Punch, a young Japanese macaque, eats at Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"AnchorLink\" id=\"image-1a0000\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image\" alt=\"A visitor looks at birthday cards for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)\"  fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1785029240_753_.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A visitor looks at birthday cards for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>A visitor looks at birthday cards for Punch, a young Japanese macaque, displayed ahead of his first birthday at the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo\/Eugene Hoshiko)<\/p>\n<p>                Add AP News on Google <\/p>\n<p>        Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.<\/p>\n<p>            Share<\/p>\n<p>                            Read More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ICHIKAWA, Japan (AP) \u2014 Punch, the orphaned monkey at a Japanese zoo that stole many people\u2019s hearts by&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":825493,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[2837,6109,49,48,2841,10342,10000,66,288501,323,883],"class_list":["post-826289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wildlife","tag-animals","tag-asia-pacific","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-general-news","tag-photo-galleries","tag-photography","tag-science","tag-terrence-henderson","tag-wildlife","tag-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=826289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/826289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/825493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=826289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=826289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=826289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}