The Institute for Cetacean Research, which conducts Japan's
whaling programme, and Kyodo Senpaku, which operates the whaling
fleet, this week announced the closure of the whaling industry's
flagship 'Yushin' whale meat shop and restaurant in Asakusa, Tokyo
due to ongoing financial problems [1]
In addition, Greenpeace has learned that for the first time the
taxpayer-funded whaling fleet will not be 100% Japanese-crewed, due
to the resignation of many crew members following the recent whale
meat embezzlement scandal exposed by Greenpeace in May 2008 [2].
Greenpeace has also received reports of the potential cancellation
of the high-profile ceremony in the whaling fleet's home port of
Shimonoseki, which traditionally marks the departure of the whalers
for the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The fleet is expected to
depart later this week, from another port, where it will be seen
off only by families of crew members and officials from the whaling
operation.
This series of embarrassments follow last month's deflagging of
the whaling fleet's refueling and cargo ship, Oriental Bluebird
[3], after being ruled in violation of a number of domestic and
international regulations by Panamanian authorities.
"As any commercial operator knows, when your business is
universally condemned, when you can't hold onto your staff and when
almost no one will buy your products - its time to shut it down",
said Sara Holden, Greenpeace International Whales Campaign
coordinator. "Although whaling officials claim the decline in
business is due to a lack of supply, the Institute for Cetacean
Research's own figures flatly contradict this; the stockpile of
whale meat is actually increasing, which shows that there is no
market for whale meat in Japan [4]."
Greenpeace's campaign to end whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale
Sanctuary has increasingly focused on the authorities in Japan,
where 71% of the public do not support Japan's whaling programme.
As a result of the Greenpeace investigation into embezzlement of
whale meat from the factory ship Nisshin Maru, Japanese authorities
mounted a politically motivated prosecution of two Greenpeace
activists.
Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the Tokyo Two, have been
denied their liberty for 145 days, since exposing the corruption.
They will be put on trial early next year, and face up to 10 years
in jail for intercepting whale meat stolen by crew from the whaling
factory ship Nisshin Maru [5].
Amnesty International has denounced the arrest as being
politically motivated, 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 [6].
"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: Dave Walsh, Greenpeace International Media, in Ireland: +35 387 220 7023Keiko Shirokawa, Greenpeace Japan Media, in Tokyo: +81 90 3470 7884Greenpeace International press desk: +31 20 718 2470
Notes: (1) Nikkei, November 11th 2008: The Institute of Cetacean Research and whaling fleet operators Kyodo Sempaku announced a rationalization plan, including the cancellation of open-boat departure ceremonies and the closing of of "Yushin", its whale meat shop in Asakusa, Tokyo by 2010.(2) Greenpeace investigation: Japan's stolen whale meat scandal, May 15 2008 - dossier available from:http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/whale-meat-scandal-dossierA Greenpeace undercover investigation found that valuable cuts of whale meat were being smuggled ashore by the crew of the Japanese whaling factory ship, Nisshin Maru, for illegal trade and personal gain, at the Japanese taxpayer's expense.(3) The whaling fleet's refueling vessel, Oriental Bluebird, is also responsible for taking around 50% of the whaling fleet's catch back to Japan. Japan has ratified an international treaty which seeks to end the practice of 'flag hopping' to evade environmental law. With the Bluebird now looking for a new flag after its owners de-registered her following a ruling in Panama to fine them for violating an environmental treaty, the government is duty-bound not to rely on the vessel's services for at least three years.(4) According to Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, there was 2800 tonnes of whale meat in storage at the beginning of 2008, which has increased to 4200 tonnes by September 2008.(5) Junichi and Toru were arrested on June 20th, and spent 26 days in custody before being charged. Bail conditions require that they request permission to be away from home for more than three days.http://www.greenpeace.org/tokyo-two(6) UN Human Rights Committee, Ninety-fourth session, Geneva, 13-31 October 2008, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee on Japan, UN Doc. CCPR/C/JPN/CO/5, para. 26, available athttp://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/co/CCPR-C-JPN-CO.5.doc