tagged w/ Japanese Whaling
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The Japanese have claimed from the outset that whaling is part of their culture. Are activist countries like Australia, appalled at the current rise in whaling activity, being racist by denying the Japanese their identity or are they saving the last of a dying breed? These cynical pranksters on Chaser News (Australia) manage to cleverly summarize the position of Japan on whaling, however some would say they cross the line.The Japanese have claimed from the outset that whaling is part of their culture. Are... more
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The Japanese whalers determined to slaughter 1000 whales this season, were attacked with 24 bottles of rancid butter by Sea Shepherd, a group trying to protect the minke whales in the scope of the Japanese harpoons. In addition to butter, they threw an unknown slippery substance on board. The goal was to prevent further whale slaughters. The Japanese are using the incident to find sympathy from an otherwise unsympathetic global majority. The Japanese are calling the incident an act of terrorism and said some of their whalers were injured. Reports indicate the injuries were superficial.
According to the BBC 2000 whales are slaughtered annually despite an international whaling moratorium. Japanese, Norwegian, and Icelandic citizens still whale, but legally under the law. Whale slaughter is legal while conducting scientific research. Never mind, the tons of meat recovered from these slaughters are sold and consumed commercially.
When I first heard of the Japanese whale slaughter, I sent a letter to the Japanese embassy in Washington DC protesting their actions. Takumi Fukuda, First Secretary (Fisheries Attache) responded last week with a three page letter explaining their position. Among many other points already reported by the press, my favorite argument was as follows: "You may also be interested to note that scientists have calculated that globally, whale populations (79 species) consume 280-500 million metric tons of marine living resources such as fish and crustaceans every year. This is 3-5 times the level consumed by human beings worldwide". Perhaps he rather me be angry with whales for eating the only food sources available to them.
The Japanese Embassy Address is:
Embassy of Japan
2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
The Japanese whalers determined to slaughter 1000 whales this season, were attacked... more
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Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd left the Southern Ocean a week ago to refuel, but Australian customs kept the focus on Japanese whalers when the released photos this week. The Japanese claim they are conducting scientific research. Australia thinks they are using science as a guise for commercial whaling. Japan is Australia second largest trading partner, they are risking a lot of diplomatic pressure to get the word out. Australia is also considering legal action against the Japanese.
Sea Shepherd pledged to return to the Southern Ocean next week to Harass the six Japanese slaughter boats.Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd left the Southern Ocean a week ago to refuel, but... more
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New Zealand will monitor parts of the Southern Ocean with military aircraft. They warned they will photograph the actions of Japanese Whalers and publish the photos so that the world can see the Japanese whale slaughter for what it is. They will not release the coordinates of the whalers for safety reasons.
The Japanese whalers have suspended their slaughter thanks to actions by Greenpeace and Sea Shephard. Greenpeace successfully interrupted refueling efforts this week.
New Zealand is responsible for rescue efforts in certain areas of the Southern Ocean, but warned the Japanese that the area was dangerous and that they may not be able to help if the situation becomes dangerous.
The Japanese want to slaughter nearly 1000 whales. New Zealand will monitor parts of the Southern Ocean with military aircraft. They... more
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Yesterday, Greenpeace successfully prevented Japan's factory ship from refueling as can be seen in this dramatic video. Reuters mistakenly reported that Greenpeace was unsuccessful, and I made that item current. Yesterday, Greenpeace successfully prevented Japan's factory ship from refueling... more
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International and domestic pressures are mounting as Japan continues to slaughter whales in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. Japanese citizens are asking why their tax dollars are funding projects that do not help the Japanese economy and are giving Japan a bad reputation. International pressure resulted in the successful pardoning of 50 humpbacks originally on Japan's dinner menu. Whaling ships are still trying to fill their 900 minke and 50 fin whale quota despite invasive tactics from Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd. International and domestic pressures are mounting as Japan continues to slaughter... more
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Despite life threatening efforts, Greenpeace was unable to prevent the Japanese manufacturing ship from docking with it's refueling ship. Greenpeace maneuvered a small dingy between the two large ships hoping to prevent refueling. The Japanese retaliated by spraying freezing water on the Greenpeace dingy. Greenpeace aborted it's efforts when the Japanese continued to maneuver their large ships closer and closer despite the risk to human life.
The Japanese want Australia to bring criminal charges against members of Sea Shepherd who boarded a Japanese ship last week. The activists were held hostage for 3 days where their lives were threatened. The activists intended to deliver a letter explaining the consequences of whaling on the environment.
The Japanese plan to slaughter nearly 1000 whales this season.Despite life threatening efforts, Greenpeace was unable to prevent the Japanese... more
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Here's an opinion piece I originally wrote for OhMyNews - an online Korean newspaper -about the Japanese Whaling Industry and the IWC meeting last year when they wanted to re-assess the whaling ban.
"...the whaling industry today seems to resemble another rare species: a white elephant. Whaling is far more expensive to maintain compared to the profit attainable. Commericialized whaling for Japan would only result in more unsold whale meat and fat guilt-ridden pets.....The Japanese government has been wasting a significant amount of money on their white elephant industry through IWC political-wrangling and vainly trying to promote the image of whale meat to the general public particularly to the youth who have no memories of leaner times when abundant whale meat symbolized poverty. So far it has been money ill-spent ...."Here's an opinion piece I originally wrote for OhMyNews - an online Korean... more
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Sea Shepherd activists are using stink bombs to prevent Japanese whaling. The smell is so noxious that it lasts for two days. The Japanese claim they are "inhumane terrorist acts." Activists have successfully stopped whale hunting for the last 10 days. Sea Shepherd activists are using stink bombs to prevent Japanese whaling. The smell... more
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Australian authorities are closely monitoring the situation following an incident where the Japanese are accused of kidnapping two protesters for two days. One of the captives reported, ""They intended to throw me overboard," he told local radio. "Two guys picked me up by the shoulders, and the gunner, the guy that shoots the whales, picked my legs up and they attempted to tip me over." Contact with the icy waters of the Arctic would lead to a quick death.
Meanwhile the Japanese are trying to "starve the protesters of fuel". The Japanese have their own refueling ship, the protesters do not. The plan is to move around so much that the anti-whale protesters have to return to Australia before the end of the Japanese whaling season.
The protesters say they will stay as long as they have fuel, which may be as little as two weeks. Greenpeace is video taping the whale slaughter, with hopes the graphic images will change Japanese public opinion. Sea Shepard, a second organization, is taking a more aggressive approach. Former Greenpeace founder and an organizer of Sea Shepard, Watson, accused Greenpeace of doing nothing but making "snuff flicks". Australian authorities are closely monitoring the situation following an incident... more
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The two protesters taken hostage by Japanese whalers have been returned back to their own vessels. Unfortunately this whole stand-off situation made no progress in either direction over the controversial Japanese whaling practices.
The protesters say: "We'll continue to harass the Japanese fleet and prevent them from whaling."
The whalers say: "The Yushin Maru is heading back towards the rest of the research vessels and yes, when it has the opportunity, it will continue with the programme."
Deadlock.The two protesters taken hostage by Japanese whalers have been returned back to their... more
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After two days, activists opposed to Japanese whaling were released to Australian authorities. The hostages claimed they were kidnapped and have video evidence to prove it. Apparently the Japanese tied them to the railing of the boat and assaulted them. Australian officials refuse to comment on criminal charges. After two days, activists opposed to Japanese whaling were released to Australian... more
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The stand-off continues in the south seas, and now militant anti-whaling activists are threatening some 'commando-style raids' on the Japanese whaling boat that continues to hold two of their colleagues hostage. Both sides have accused the other of behaving like terrorists and the Japanese have given the captain of the anti-whaling protest ship, Steve Irwin (name of the boat, not the captain), a list of conditions for the return of Australian Benjamin Potts and Briton Giles Lane.
This row has been going on for some time, particularly because of Japan's continued claims that whale hunting is for 'scientific purposes' and their since abandoned announcement of hunting humpback whales. I'd like to know, specifically, what kind of scientific research is actually being done. Anybody know?The stand-off continues in the south seas, and now militant anti-whaling activists are... more
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A Briton and Australian working for a conservationist group have been "taken hostage" by Japanese whalers, campaigners say.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said the two volunteers were tied to the railings of a whaling ship when they boarded the vessel to deliver a message to the captain.
The group is chasing the whaling fleet across the Southern Ocean and is urging Australian police to file kidnapping charges.A Briton and Australian working for a conservationist group have been "taken... more
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Greenpeace said yesterday it had chased Japanese whalers out of hunting grounds in the Southern Ocean, disrupting the planned slaughter of almost 1,000 whales.
The Greenpeace vessel, the Esperanza, chased the main Japanese ship, the Nisshin Maru, through hundreds of miles of thick fog after spotting the whaling fleet on Saturday, the group said. The fleet's catcher ships fled in another direction and will be unable to hunt as long as they are separated from the Nisshin Maru, which processes and stores captured whales. "Now they are out of the hunting grounds they should stay out," said Sakyo Noda, a Greenpeace campaigner from Japan.Greenpeace said yesterday it had chased Japanese whalers out of hunting grounds in the... more
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A deadly game of marine chess began in the Southern Ocean yesterday after environmentalists closed in on a Japanese fleet that has been sent to kill 1,000 whales.
'We are not down here to protest,' said Paul Watson, of the militant group Sea Shepherd International. 'We are here to stop them.'A deadly game of marine chess began in the Southern Ocean yesterday after... more
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Celebrities, surfers and a mermaid paddled out to defend the dolphins from japanese fishermen in the killing bay of Taiji on 29th October 2007. Despite their peaceful protest, fishermen attacked them with long poles and boat propellors, and continued their slaughter. THe meat is used as food despite being highly contaminated with mercury, which causes brain tumors, birth defects and death.
Hannah is a professional mermaid who works on films, tv and print, and uses her profile to bring attention to the issues involving dolphins and whales.Celebrities, surfers and a mermaid paddled out to defend the dolphins from japanese... more
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THE ritual has been the same for nearly 20 years. Japan, while adhering to a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling, has sent sturdy ships to Antarctic waters and, more recently, parts of the Pacific Ocean to kill hundreds of whales in the name of scientific research.
The Japan Whaling Association, a private group representing the whaling operations, has described complaints as cultural imperialism on its Web site, whaling.jp:
Asking Japan to abandon this part of its culture, the association says, would compare to Australians being asked to stop eating meat pies, Americans being asked to stop eating hamburgers and the English being asked to go without fish and chips.THE ritual has been the same for nearly 20 years. Japan, while adhering to a 1986... more
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2007-11-19 1:18 AM +0800
A Japanese whaling ship has left Japan today to head to Australian/Antarctic waters to hunt whales. The Howard government will not act to protect these endangered species. With one week before the election, please TAKE ACTION TO HELP SAVE WHALES FROM SLAUGHTER. 2007-11-19 1:18 AM +0800
A Japanese whaling ship has left Japan today to head to... more
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