Stop the Research Whaling Right Now

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Created on Thursday, 16 November 2000 18:17

Change the Way of Research into a Non-Lethal Method!

Despite the deep sorrow of people with conscience throughout the world, the Japanese Government permitted the Institute of Cetacean Research to practice "research" whaling and so killed Bryde's and Sperm whales as well as minke whales. Moreover the government showed a dominating attitude towards international voices.

Again, a whaling fleet is now about to launch toward the Antarctic Ocean. The government announced that they will capture around 400 minke whales this time as well. In the past 12 years, some 5,000 minke whales were killed in the Antarctic Ocean, even though it is considered to be public property, by Japanese ignoring international agreements.

In addition, the meat after the "research" is sold in the market at a high price and

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Whales are stealing 'our fish'???

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Created on Monday, 31 July 2000 18:34

Recently the Japanese massmedia have hit on a new theory of justifying whaling. "Whales have increased in numbers so much that they eat 3 to 6 times more fish than humans do. Thus whaling is necessary to save the eco-system and as a policy to ensure food supply." The Institute of Cetacean Research which is carrying out research whaling on behalf of the national government's Fishery Agency states in a pamphlett entitled 'The annual food consumption of all whale species in the world's oceans' that whales consume 280 - 500 million tons of food annually. In order to further substantiate this theory, whaling boats left Japan at the end of July, this time adding 50 Brydes Whales and 10 Sperm Whales to the 100 Minke Whales that they had already been taking from the north Pacific Ocean.

Certainly this theory may sound like music to the ears of people in the fishing industry

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Please stop "research" whaling in North Pacific Ocean!

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Created on Wednesday, 16 August 2000 12:51

To: Mr. Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister of Japan

We are a group of citizens based in Japan committed to the conservation of dolphins and whales. We oppose Japan's whaling activities and, in particular, the recent extension of "scientific whaling" upon which the Fisheries Agency and the fishing industry have insisted. Commercial exploitation of wild species like dolphins and whales may cause serious damage not only to their own populations but also to marine ecosystems.

We submitted a statement opposing Japan's commercial whaling, to the 52nd IWC Meeting held in Adelaide in July, 2000. This statement, supported by 65 Japanese organisations , is attached below.

We feel strong resentment against the embarkation to the North Pacific at the end of July of Japanese whaling vessels to kill sperm, Bryde's and minke whales for "research".

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Opening statement for the 52nd IWC from IKAN

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Created on Friday, 30 June 2000 18:39

IWC/52/OS IKAN

WE OPPOSE "SCIENTIFIC WHALING"

CARRIED OUT BY THE JAPANESEGOVERNMENT,

ITS EXPANSION, AND THE PROPOSAL TO RESUME WHALING

We are a citizen's group active in Japan. Our stance is that the consumption of whale meat is not an indispensable part of the Japanese diet.

It is true that in a certain period after World War II, whale meat was an important source of protein for Japanese people. However, as the war-shattered society recovered, the number of people who continued eating whale meat declined sharply. Nowadays, whale meat is typically consumed as a luxury food, a gourmet specialty item, served along with drinks, or presented as a gift.

The Japanese government has insisted to the international community that whale meat is one of the Japan's traditional foods that is indispensable for the nation. Despite this claim, the industry and government has had to run various campaigns domestically to encourage

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