Press release - November 13, 2008
According to news reports in Japan this morning, there will be a 20 per cent reduction in the number of whales targeted in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary hunt this year - the first reduction since 1987.
The report in Asahi Shinbum cites lack of demand for whale meat,
pressure from protests at sea and the continued opposition from Europe and Australia as
reasons for the reduction in the minke whale quota from 945 minke whales to
750. The quota of 50 endangered fin whales remains unchanged.
"We are seeing the beginning of the end of whaling in the Southern Ocean
Whale Sanctuary," said Karli Thomas, Greenpeace New Zealand Oceans Campaigner.
"If today's reports are true we congratulate the Japanese government for
making this first step, but they can and must go further and we will not stop
until the quota is zero."
The news follows
hard on the heels of Greenpeace revelations that the industry has been unable
to crew this year's voyage with an all-Japanese crew for the first time, that
the traditional ceremony seeing the fleet off from Shimonoseki has been
cancelled, and that 'Yushin,' the flagship whale meat shop and restaurant in
Asakusa, Tokyo, will close shop in 2010 due to ongoing financial problems. [1]
Greenpeace has sent ships to interfere with the hunt in the Southern Ocean nine
times since the Japanese government research whaling programme in the Southern
Ocean whale sanctuary began 20 years ago, including keeping them on the run for
more than two weeks last season.
Opposition inside Japan
is also growing. Earlier this year two Greenpeace activists in Japan were
arrested for exposing corruption within the whaling programme. The political
prosecution of Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki has been denounced by Amnesty
International and, in a periodic evaluation completed last month, the United
Nations Human Rights Committee severely reprimanded the Japanese government for
the "unreasonable restrictions placed on freedom of expression" in
Japan. It also condemned the abuse of trespass laws by Japanese police to
harass activists who are critical of government policy.
"The extreme reaction by the authorities shows Greenpeace's work in Japan has put the whaling establishment under
pressure" said Jun Hoshikawa, Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan.
"The whale meat market has clearly collapsed and is unprofitable, and the
stigma of scandal and corruption has made it an unattractive and less lucrative
industry to work for. The whaling industry's days are numbered, and it's time
for the Japanese taxpayer to demand the government stops subsidising this
bankrupt programme."
VVPR info: Karli Thomas Greenpeace New Zealand oceans campaigner 021 905 582
Suzette Jackson Greenpeace New Zealand communications manager 021 614 899
Notes: (1) Nikkei, 11 November 2008: The Institute of Cetacean Research and whaling fleet operators Kyodo Sempaku announced a rationalisation plan, including the cancellation of open-boat departure ceremonies and the closing of "Yushin", its whale meat shop in Asakusa, Tokyo, by 2010.