Washington, United States —
Greenpeace today launched a global appeal calling on customers of Canon, the world’s top digital camera maker, to urge the company to condemn the Japanese government’s whaling program. Canon, a major sponsor of projects to save endangered species, has refused an official Greenpeace request that the company add its voice to the international call for an end to whale hunting. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza has successfully stopped whaling activities in the Southern Ocean for thirteen days waters near Antarctica.
In a letter dated January 10, Greenpeace asked Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai to endorse the following statement: "Canon is committed to building a better world for future generations, and does not support the hunting of endangered or threatened species with anything other than a camera. Canon believes the lethal whaling ‘research’ program in the Southern Ocean should be ended, and replaced with a non-lethal research program." Mitarai is also the head of the Japanese Business Association –Keidanren - a key position for advising the Japanese Prime Minister of negative impacts on trade resulting from government policies.
Canon refused. Canon replied on January 22, 2008 by claiming to recognize "the importance of protecting endangered wildlife" and promoting the fact that Canon "continuously put our advertisements featuring ‘endangered species’ in National Geographic since 1981."
"However," its letter concluded, "scientific opinion about research whaling varies... we will not sign the statement you have sent us." The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has concluded that Japan’s so-called “scientific” research that takes place in the Southern Ocean is of very little scientific value and has recommended an end to the hunt.
"Canon sells cameras by using pictures of endangered species, including whales. Mr. Mitarai has the power to help end the hoax of research whaling and a responsibility to speak out against it. Greenpeace is amazed that Canon wouldn't condemn the killing of threatened species for fake research," said Junichi Sato, whales campaigner with Greenpeace Japan.
"Canon is not directly involved in whaling and we are not calling for a boycott on the company," said Sato. But, he added, "a corporation that promotes itself as a defender of wildlife and one concerned about endangered species and the natural world must do more than express those values in images and advertisements. They need to use their immense power to speak out and act for a better world."
