Anti-whaler nations give Japan a warning

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, Mar. 01, 2007
Anti-whaler nations give Japan a warning
RAY LILLEY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Anti-whaling nations New Zealand and Australia vowed Thursday to continue the fight to end Japan's annual whale hunts, warning that its plans to kill humpback whales off Antarctica in December could spark outrage. The warning comes just a day after Japan ended its latest southern whale program following a deadly fire that crippled the mother ship of its whaling fleet and left it drifting near the Antarctic coast. A crewman died in the fire.

While New Zealand warned the incident could have sparked an "ecological disaster," Japanese officials had said it posed no threat to the environment and will not lead Japan to call off future kills.

"The (whaling) program will resume in December in the Antarctic," a spokesman for Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research, Glenn Inwood, said Thursday. It would hunt minke, fin and humpback whales.
(snip)

New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter said the hunt due to resume in southern waters in December was likely to cause "further outrage."

"The Japanese whaling program next year envisages killing humpback whales. Humpbacks are one of the most iconic whale species. I know this program is going to generate enormous hostility from round the world," he said.
(snip/...)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/16810718.htm

[Cetacea]

1. there is no excuse for them any more

I attended the International Whaling Commission's Annual Meeting that led to the current Whaling Moratorium. The theme of the conference was "Cetacean Intelligence and the Ethics of Killing Them".
I was amazed at the response by the Japanese ambassador to all of the scientific evidence regarding dolphin/whale intelligence. He walked up to the podium and began to talk about how whale meat comprises three percent of the total annual meat intake for Japan. Needless to say, many jaws were dangling during and after his delivery. It was as if he had not been there at all.

Now they are supposedly killing them for research! What do they learn from dead whales?

This is genocide, plain and simple. And I don't blame Japan, but only a tiny number of people who have the power to let this continue.

K+R

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[anotherdrew]

3. well I don't think so...

in fact I'm afraid most Japanese don't even much know this is going on, of those that do, many many are against it. The real reason behind this is right-wing nationalists trying use this issue to light a fire in their own population.

[saigon68]

4. don't even much know this is going on

Maybe they will when the shit hits the fan in Dec 2007

I hope Paul Watson makes an even bigger stink next time.