Junichi Sato, Programme Director of Greenpeace Japan, who could
be jailed for 18 months for exposing embezzlement within the
Japanese whaling industry (1) released a statement this afternoon
(NZ time) urging negotiators to improve the current proposal which
could legitimise commercial whaling and bring the IWC into the 21st
century.
"The IWC has been deadlocked for decades, with Japan, Norway and
Iceland setting unilateral quotas and continuing hunts that flout
the commercial whaling moratorium. This year, the International
Year of Biodiversity, a unique opportunity to transform the IWC and
to phase-out Japan's reckless Antarctic hunt has emerged through a
diplomatic process. The draft proposal can and must be improved in
Agadir to become a final deal that keeps whales in the oceans and
off of dinner plates."
"Scandals surrounding Japan's whaling industry continue to
emerge, two years ago, I exposed the embezzlement of expensive cuts
of meat, smuggled off Japanese whaling ships and sold on the black
market. I was arrested, prosecuted and now face up to 18 months in
prison, all for
revealing the true face of my government's whaling
programme."
"More recently, whistle-blowers have come forward to confirm
what we have known for years - that Japan actively engages in
vote-buying at the IWC (2).
"The meeting in Agadir can and must save whales, not whaling
industries reliant on bribery and embezzlement for survival."
Greenpeace is opposed to all commercial whaling and is seeking
a positive deal for whales at the IWC. Together with the Pew
Environment Group and WWF, Greenpeace has released a briefing paper
outlining six fundamental elements which are essential to a
positive deal for the whales at IWC 62. These elements are: an end
to whaling in the Southern Ocean; an end to trade in whale meat and
products; the elimination of unilaterally-decided whaling quotas'
an end to hunts of endangered whale species; putting science at the
center of IWC decisions and' prevention of objections or
reservations by IWC members. A detailed explanation of these six
elements can be found here:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/whaling/
Other contacts: Steve Smith, Greenpeace International communications, +31 643 787 359 or
Phil Crawford, Greenpeace New Zealand media & communications, 021 22 99 594
Notes: 1) In January 2008, Greenpeace began an investigation into insider allegations that organised whale meat embezzlement was being conducted by crew inside Japan's so-called ’scientific‘ whaling programme, which is funded by Japanese taxpayers. The informer was previously involved in the whaling programme, and following his information Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki began an investigation, eventually discovering firm proof that cardboard boxes containing whale meat were being secretly shipped from the whaling factory ship to the homes of whaling fleet crew – and then sold for personal profit. Junichi delivered a box of this whale meat to the Tokyo Prosecutors' Office in May 2008, and filed a report of embezzlement. However, the embezzlement investigation was dropped on 20 June - the same day that both men were arrested and then held for 26 days, 23 of which were without charge. They are currently facing up to 18 months in prison for “theft” and “trespass”.
http://www.greenpeace.org/tokyo-two
2) Last week, whistleblowers stepped forward to confirm what many, including Greenpeace, have known for years: that Japan actively engages in vote-buying at the IWC to maintain its so-called “scientific” whaling. An article in the Times of London detailing the corruption and use of bribery and prostitution to entice legitimization of its whaling programme can be found here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7149086.ece
Greenpeace has experts from Argentina, Australia, Germany, Japan, New
Zealand and the United States available for interview at the IWC.
Languages spoken by the Greenpeace delegation are Dutch, English,
German, Japanese and Spanish.
Exp. contact date: 2010-07-21 00:00:00