The report in Asahi Shimbun 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 Sara Holden, Greenpeace
International Whales 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."
Other contacts: Sara Holden, Greenpeace International Whales Campaign Coordinator, in Amsterdam:
+31 615 007 406
Keiko Shirokawa, Greenpeace Japan Media, in Tokyo:
+81 90 3470 7884
Greenpeace International press desk: +31 20 718 2470
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.