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The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is on its eleventh day in pursuit of the factory ship Nisshin Maru.With the factory ship out of commission, no whales have been killed by the hunter ships as they would not be able to transfer their catch.
"Greenpeace came here to peacefully stop the hunt and that is what we have done. But it is not enough to stop whaling only when the world's eyes are on the fleet and the Esperanza is on its tail,' said Greenpeace Japan campaigner Sakyo Noda, on board the Esperanza. "Tokyo must take the decision to call an end to this whaling season now and make it the last one."
“Greenpeace’s goal of inspiring a genuine debate on whaling in Japan is showing results,” said Rob Nicoll, Greenpeace Australia Pacific whales campaigner.
“Our Japanese website this week jumped from 10,000 visits a day to 10,000 visits in one hour, with unprecedented critical comments from Japanese people about their government’s insistence on Antarctic whaling. They are also signing an online petition asking Japanese government ministers to stop squandering tax payers money on whaling.”
Comments that were posted by angry Japanese people who want their government to stop whaling included:
“There is no national consensus on wasting taxpayer's money to make whales a source of protein.”
“Whaling is not a Japanese tradition. There is no need to conduct whaling under the name of research when there is an oversupply of whale and the demand is unlikely to increase. It makes me angry that Japan goes against global convention (…). We should stop whaling immediately.”
More comments can be read at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/fake-science-exposed180108/Whaling-receives-criticism200108
To ensure that the pressure continues to build within Japan, Whales Project Leader in Japan, Junichi Sato has sent an open letter to Japanese business leaders warning of the negative impact that whaling is having on the country's reputation internationally.
Rob Nicoll said, “In Australia, we would like to see Japanese owned companies follow the lead of the New Zealand division of Toyota and publicly condemned the Southern Ocean whaling program.
“Many Australians are already talking about boycotting Japanese goods – and while Greenpeace does not advocate such a step, we would recommend that Japanese-owned companies make their stance on whaling known to protect themselves from any consumer backlash.”
Live webcam views onboard the Esperanza:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/live-webcam/
Note to Editors:
The Greenpeace letter to Japanese business leaders states:
'By hunting nearly 1,000 whales including endangered fin whales, by using tax payers' money, under the name of "research" in an internationally recognized whale sanctuary, the Japanese government is creating huge environmental, economic, and diplomatic friction, the negative impact of which many professionals in the economic and financial world in Japan have underestimated. As Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Nissui), one of the major ex-whaling companies, said, "Involvement in whaling is a business risk." Whaling creates a negative image to the world for Japanese companies and the country itself.
While Greenpeace would not support a boycott of Japanese products, there is a strong possibility of boycotts by consumers around the world if Japan's whaling continues in the Southern Ocean. Also, the image of Japan as host and international leader on environmental issues at the G8 Summit, which the Japanese government and your organization announced, has been ruined. The whaling issue could also negatively influence economic cooperation with Australia, and an invitation to hold the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2016."
For further information of interview:
In Sydney:
Carolin Wenzel, Media Officer,02 9263 0358 mo: 0417 668 957
In Tokyo:
Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Whales Project leader, +81 80 5088 2990
On Esperanza:
Dave Walsh, Greenpeace International communications officer
Sara Holden, Greenpeace International Whales Project leader
+873 324 469 014 and +47 514 079 86.
Photos & Video:
http://media.greenpeace.org.au username: photos Password: green
Michelle Thomas, + 81 903 593 6979
Michael Nagasaka, +81 806 558 4447
"Greenpeace came here to peacefully stop the hunt and that is what we have done. But it is not enough to stop whaling only when the world's eyes are on the fleet and the Esperanza is on its tail,' said Greenpeace Japan campaigner Sakyo Noda, on board the Esperanza. "Tokyo must take the decision to call an end to this whaling season now and make it the last one."
“Greenpeace’s goal of inspiring a genuine debate on whaling in Japan is showing results,” said Rob Nicoll, Greenpeace Australia Pacific whales campaigner.
“Our Japanese website this week jumped from 10,000 visits a day to 10,000 visits in one hour, with unprecedented critical comments from Japanese people about their government’s insistence on Antarctic whaling. They are also signing an online petition asking Japanese government ministers to stop squandering tax payers money on whaling.”
Comments that were posted by angry Japanese people who want their government to stop whaling included:
“There is no national consensus on wasting taxpayer's money to make whales a source of protein.”
“Whaling is not a Japanese tradition. There is no need to conduct whaling under the name of research when there is an oversupply of whale and the demand is unlikely to increase. It makes me angry that Japan goes against global convention (…). We should stop whaling immediately.”
More comments can be read at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/fake-science-exposed180108/Whaling-receives-criticism200108
To ensure that the pressure continues to build within Japan, Whales Project Leader in Japan, Junichi Sato has sent an open letter to Japanese business leaders warning of the negative impact that whaling is having on the country's reputation internationally.
Rob Nicoll said, “In Australia, we would like to see Japanese owned companies follow the lead of the New Zealand division of Toyota and publicly condemned the Southern Ocean whaling program.
“Many Australians are already talking about boycotting Japanese goods – and while Greenpeace does not advocate such a step, we would recommend that Japanese-owned companies make their stance on whaling known to protect themselves from any consumer backlash.”
Live webcam views onboard the Esperanza:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/live-webcam/
Note to Editors:
The Greenpeace letter to Japanese business leaders states:
'By hunting nearly 1,000 whales including endangered fin whales, by using tax payers' money, under the name of "research" in an internationally recognized whale sanctuary, the Japanese government is creating huge environmental, economic, and diplomatic friction, the negative impact of which many professionals in the economic and financial world in Japan have underestimated. As Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Nissui), one of the major ex-whaling companies, said, "Involvement in whaling is a business risk." Whaling creates a negative image to the world for Japanese companies and the country itself.
While Greenpeace would not support a boycott of Japanese products, there is a strong possibility of boycotts by consumers around the world if Japan's whaling continues in the Southern Ocean. Also, the image of Japan as host and international leader on environmental issues at the G8 Summit, which the Japanese government and your organization announced, has been ruined. The whaling issue could also negatively influence economic cooperation with Australia, and an invitation to hold the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2016."
For further information of interview:
In Sydney:
Carolin Wenzel, Media Officer,02 9263 0358 mo: 0417 668 957
In Tokyo:
Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Whales Project leader, +81 80 5088 2990
On Esperanza:
Dave Walsh, Greenpeace International communications officer
Sara Holden, Greenpeace International Whales Project leader
+873 324 469 014 and +47 514 079 86.
Photos & Video:
http://media.greenpeace.org.au username: photos Password: green
Michelle Thomas, + 81 903 593 6979
Michael Nagasaka, +81 806 558 4447
