Greenpeace activists and Australian ex-whaler urge Japan – Put Whaling on Trial

In Tokyo, Australian ex-whaling captain Paddy Hart has joined Greenpeace Australia Pacific Executive Director, Steve Shallhorn and other Greenpeace Executive Directors from around the world at the office of the Japanese Prime Minister [2]. The international delegation are calling on him to end the Japanese Government-funded annual whale hunt in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and the persecution of two activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki.

Following a Greenpeace undercover investigation in May 2008, that exposed the embezzlement of whale meat [3] from the taxpayer-funded whaling fleet, Japanese authorities arrested Sato and Suzuki and raided the Greenpeace Japan office in June 2008. They have now been awaiting trial for 172 days under bail conditions, which prevent them from continuing their Greenpeace campaign work to end whaling [4]. The trial is expected to begin early next year; they both face up to 10 years imprisonment.

"We want to send a message to the Japanese government that if Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are to be tried for exposing whale meat embezzlement and working to end the killing of whales in the Japanese Government's 'research' program in the Southern Ocean, then we should all be arrested," said Greenpeace whales campaigner, Reece Turner. "It's not Greenpeace activists who should be put on trial; it is the government-backed lethal whaling program in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary."

Greenpeace is holding similar activities at Japanese embassies in the USA, New Zealand, Argentina, France, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Mexico and Italy.  Activists are declaring themselves as 'co-defendants', by asking the Japanese government to "Arrest Me Too" and to put "Whaling on Trial".

Australian ex-whaling captain Paddy Hart, in Tokyo to support the Tokyo Two and the campaign to end Japan's whaling, was a master and gunner at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station in Albany, Western Australia until it ceased operation in 1978 - following Greenpeace protests.

"I'm here (in Tokyo) to assure whalers that there is life after whaling. Japan's whaling program is a taxpayer-funded government enterprise, so when it finally ends, it's the responsibility of the Japanese government and the Fisheries Agency to retrain the crews for other, sustainable, work. In Australia alone, 300 million Australian dollars are made every year from whale watching - hundreds of times more than was ever made by the whaling industry", said Hart. "I am proud of my time at sea, but it was 30 years ago. Times have changed, and the world has moved on - whaling no longer has a place in the world".

The giant whale sand sculpture on Bondi Beach will be complete at 3pm today and will remain in place until Thursday morning, 11 December.  Greenpeace are inviting the public to come down and show their support and to sign the petition to free the Tokyo Two at: www.greenpeace.org/tokyo-two

Images\Footage:
Abram Powell, Audio Visual Manager, 0409 812 641, e: abram.powell@greenpeace.org