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Conducted by Nippon Research Center, Ltd, a member of Gallup International Association, the poll was designed to provide the views of the Japanese public on the Japanese whaling programme (1).
For Executive Summary and full report go to http://www.greenpeace.org/nippon-poll-2008
The poll found that in general 31% of people backed whaling, 25% opposed it and 44% had no opinion. Among those who said they were neither for nor against whaling in principle, over 80% disagreed with whaling on the high seas. Even among those who favoured whaling, almost 40% disagreed with whaling on the high seas. In summary, some 71% of Japanese people do not support high seas whaling.
“These results differ markedly from a recent Japanese newspaper (Asahi Shimbun) poll on February 8th 2008,” said Rob Nicoll, Greenpeace Australia Pacific whales campaigner.
“While the Asahi Shimbun poll seemed to find the majority of Japanese people support whaling, they failed to distinguish high seas whaling from coastal whaling, which has a nationalistic and romantic traditional notion for many," said Nicoll. "In the Greenpeace poll we have seen that once we make this distinction, 71% of Japanese people do not support whaling on the high seas”.
“The more detailed breakdown of questions in our poll showed 85% of Japanese people did not know Japan hunts over 900 whales, including 50 of an endangered species within the Antarctic Ocean whale sanctuary,” said Rob Nicoll.
Greenpeace Japan whales campaigner, Junichi Sato, said, “It is time for Japanese taxpayers, businesses, and politicians to ask why they are paying 500 million yen every year to fund a research programme that produces science nobody needs, and whale meat that very few eat. It is time to ask why we continue to tarnish our international reputation with this scandal”.
"The conclusions of the poll come in stark contrast to the myth promoted by the Fisheries Agency of Japan that, by killing whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, it is acting in defence of Japanese culture and with the support of its people. Most Japanese people have little knowledge of what is being done in their name and with their money, while the majority do not support the ongoing hunt," concluded Sato.
For Executive Summary and full report go to http://www.greenpeace.org/nippon-poll-2008
The poll found that in general 31% of people backed whaling, 25% opposed it and 44% had no opinion. Among those who said they were neither for nor against whaling in principle, over 80% disagreed with whaling on the high seas. Even among those who favoured whaling, almost 40% disagreed with whaling on the high seas. In summary, some 71% of Japanese people do not support high seas whaling.
“These results differ markedly from a recent Japanese newspaper (Asahi Shimbun) poll on February 8th 2008,” said Rob Nicoll, Greenpeace Australia Pacific whales campaigner.
“While the Asahi Shimbun poll seemed to find the majority of Japanese people support whaling, they failed to distinguish high seas whaling from coastal whaling, which has a nationalistic and romantic traditional notion for many," said Nicoll. "In the Greenpeace poll we have seen that once we make this distinction, 71% of Japanese people do not support whaling on the high seas”.
“The more detailed breakdown of questions in our poll showed 85% of Japanese people did not know Japan hunts over 900 whales, including 50 of an endangered species within the Antarctic Ocean whale sanctuary,” said Rob Nicoll.
Greenpeace Japan whales campaigner, Junichi Sato, said, “It is time for Japanese taxpayers, businesses, and politicians to ask why they are paying 500 million yen every year to fund a research programme that produces science nobody needs, and whale meat that very few eat. It is time to ask why we continue to tarnish our international reputation with this scandal”.
"The conclusions of the poll come in stark contrast to the myth promoted by the Fisheries Agency of Japan that, by killing whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, it is acting in defence of Japanese culture and with the support of its people. Most Japanese people have little knowledge of what is being done in their name and with their money, while the majority do not support the ongoing hunt," concluded Sato.
Notes to Editor
(1) An internet survey of 1,051 people aged 15 to 60, between January 18 and 23.
For further information or comment
Junichi Sato, Greenpeace Japan Whales Campaigner (in Tokyo) +81 805 088 2990 Rob Nicoll, Greenpeace Australia Whales Campaigner 02 9263 0362 mo: 0422 270 844 Carolin Wenzel, Media Officer 02 9263 0358 mo: 0417 668 957
