DOCSLIB.ORG

Whale Wars How TV Turns Violent Green Activists Into Popular Entertainment by David Hogberg

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Whale Wars How TV Turns Violent Green Activists Into Popular Entertainment by David Hogberg GREEN WATCH BANNER TO BE INSERTED HERE Whale Wars How TV Turns Violent Green Activists into Popular Entertainment By David Hogberg Summary: Whale Wars is a popular Friday night television series on the Animal Planet cable channel. Having just completed its fourth season, the hour-long documentary program depicts the heroism of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as it tries to stop Japanese fi shing vessels from killing whales in Antarctica. Too bad that Whale Wars omits important information about the extremist nature of Sea Shepherd and its operations. n November 2008 a television documentary program called Whale IWars premiered on the Animal Planet cable channel. The program follows a group of self-proclaimed “eco-pirates” Paul Watson and the crew of the Steve Irwin called Sea Shepherd as they try to prevent cannons, fl ash grenades and pain-inducing Each whaling (and television) season Japanese government-authorized fi shing LRAD (long-range acoustic devices). Sea Shepherd deploys its fl otilla as the vessels from hunting whales in the waters Japanese whalers try to meet a kill-quota off Antarctica. (The program is available of 950 mink whales, 50 fi n whales, and on DVD and many episodes can be viewed The TV series shows a Sea Shepherd vessel 50 humpback whales. This quota violates online.) named the Steve Irwin (after the late host of a ruling by the International Whaling Crocodile Hunter , a wildlife documentary Commission (IWC), which has banned Upon locating Japanese whalers, Sea series) as it tracks down three Japanese commercial whaling since 1986. Three Shepherd activists have thrown bottles harpoon ships named Yushin Maru and a of butyric acid and packages of methyl large factory ship, the Nisshin Maru, that October 2011 cellulose onto the Japanese ships’ decks. processes the harpoon ships’ catch. Later The fi rst can sicken humans and taint whale in the series Sea Shepherd acquires a more meat, while the second makes ship decks Whale Wars powerful ship, an icebreaker it calls the dangerously slippery. From onboard their Page 1 Bob Barker, named after the host of the own vessels, Sea Shepherd’s crew have also thrown large ropes into the sea, attempting TV game show The Price Is Right. Barker Green Notes to entangle them in the whalers’ propellers. contributed $5 million to Sea Shepherd to Page 6 The Japanese ships fi ght back with water assist its mission. countries, however —Japan, Norway and Terrorists or Activists? Underlying such sentiment is an anti- Iceland — defy the IWC ban. The Japanese human ideology. At an “Animal Rights pretend their whaling operations are Whale Wars has been a hit show for Animal 2002” conference Watson said, “There permitted because the IWC allows whaling Planet, one of thirteen channels operated by are 30-million plus species on this planet. for scientifi c purposes and the whalers are a division of Discovery Communications, They’re all earthlings. They’re all equal. sponsored by the Japanese government’s Inc. (DCI), the giant publicly-owned media Some are more ‘equal’ than others, I admit: earthworms are far more valuable Institute of Cetacean Research. But this company based in Silver Spring, Maryland than people.” And in Earthforce! Watson claim is dubious since whale meat often (2010 revenue: $3.8 billion). The Animal writes that while “humans may consider ends up in Japan’s food markets. Planet channel is available in 70 countries themselves to be divine legends in their and claims viewership of 97 million U.S. own mind, the biological reality is that households. For four years Whale Wars has depicted a they are simply overly glorifi ed, conceited David vs. Goliath struggle of feisty eco- apes.” Yet these particular views are never Animal Planet and DCI obviously embrace warriors harassing relentless Japanese mentioned on Whale Wars. whalers. At the start of each television Whale Wars for its entertainment value season the principal goal of Sea Shepherd and audience share. The show’s producers Sea Shepherd’s History of Violent is to locate the evasive Nisshin Maru and want viewers to see a story of high seas “Direct Action” block the spillway at its stern to prevent adventure, one that portrays a struggle pitting dedicated activists against an outlaw the harpoon ships from off-loading their Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson uses nation engaged in barbaric practices. But kills onto the factory ship. There can be no the euphemism “direct action” to describe that is not the reality of Sea Shepherd, the whaling if the whales can’t be processed his group’s reliance on violent tactics. At program’s heroes. The organization, which a 2002 animal rights conference, Watson and their meat refrigerated at sea. is recognized as a 501(c)(3) public charity explained, “The fact is that we live in an by the IRS, is dedicated to destroying extremely violent culture, and we all justify While Whale Wars reveals much about modern industrial society. violence if it’s for what we believe in.” He the pitched battles between Sea Shepherd added: “There’s nothing wrong with being and the Japanese whalers, unfortunately it For example, in his book Earthforce! An a terrorist, as long as you win. Then you omits a great deal of crucial information Earth Warrior’s Guide To Strategy ¸ Paul write the history.” about Sea Shepherd’s violent and radical Watson, the head of Sea Shepherd, claims nature. In so doing, the show makes Under Watson’s leadership, Sea Shepherd that humans must live in harmony with a fringe “environmental” group seem has a long history of violent “direct nature, and that the only people who do so reasonable and heroic. action.” Over more than three decades Sea are small tribes that live in Africa and Asia. Shepherd claims to have attacked whaling Peter Hammarstedt, a Sea Shepherd fi rst ships around the world and to have sunk mate, has described what the group wants Editor: ten of them. Sierra, Susan, Theresa, Isba 1, Matt Patterson to achieve: Publisher: Terrence Scanlon Isba 2, Hvalur 6, Hvalur 7, Senet, Nybrena, Address: 1513 16th Street, NW and Morild—their names are painted on “If regular Americans and people around Washington, DC 20036-1480 the port side of the Steve Irwin. Phone: (202) 483-6900 the world realize it’s wrong to kill a whale, Email: [email protected] and right to go to all kinds of lengths short In 1979 Watson and his crew rammed the Website: www.capitalresearch.org of hurting anybody to stop it, then we Sierra with their vessel, the Sea Shepherd. are one step closer to people questioning The Sierra did not sink but managed Green Watch is published by Capital why they use animals for food, why they to make it back to a port in Portugal. Research Center, a non-partisan education use animals for clothes, and why they use However, there was an anonymous follow- and research organization classifi ed by the animals for medical research…We are up. According to Earth Warrior, a 1995 IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Reprints winning…We will see the end of factory book about Sea Shepherd by author David are available for $2.50 prepaid to Capital farming, we will see the end of fur farming Morris, Watson received word that “three Research Center. in North America.” environmentalists in wetsuits, carrying Page 2 Green Watch October 2011 magnetic explosive mines, had just slipped with harmless “crackers.” But then why Watson would have an administrative into Lisbon harbor and blown up the was he ordered to shoot out a spotlight? assistant who opens his mail for him. The Sierra.” At the time Watson was about This incident is never mentioned on Whale envelope with the white powder should to go on trial in Quebec for assaulting a Wars . have been opened long before it reached police offi cer during the course of a protest Watson. Nevertheless, none of these against a Canadian seal hunt. Watson seems quite capable of lying to odd coincidences are examined in the his crew and Sea Shepherd supporters show. Neither Sea Shepherd nor Animal Watson takes liberties with his criminal when it serves his purposes. For instance, Planet agreed to requests for an interview record, claiming that no Sea Shepherd near the end of the fi rst season there is a regarding this matter. mission has resulted “in a single criminal confrontation between the Sea Shepherd or civil conviction against myself.” His vessel Steve Irwin and the whaler Nishhin Sea Shepherd Origins and Funding convictions for interfering with the seal Maru. In the episode Watson opens his hunt in Canada in 1980 and 1983 were jacket to reveal a slug lodged in his bullet- A longtime environmental activist, Sea overturned on appeal. In 1993, Watson proof vest. He later issues a press statement Shepherd founder Paul Watson’s public was arrested in Canada for Sea Shepherd claiming he’s been shot at from the Nishin persona belies his group’s history of actions against Cuban and Spanish fi shing Maru, an allegation hotly denied by the violence. He does not act like a belligerent boasts off the coast of Newfoundland. Japanese crew. The claim seems unlikely radical, but is soft-spoken and seems In 1997 he was convicted in absentia in and, given Watson’s own views on truth reasonable and likeable. But in his book Norway for the sinking of a Norwegian and deception, appears suspect. Indeed, Earthforce!, Watson explains that to whaling ship, the Nybrena. Watson has the incident was too far-fetched for the persuade the public (and manipulate the claimed responsibility for disabling several producers of Whale Wars who added a media) activists should not “alienate… ships in Iceland.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Japan Vows to Keep Whale Hunt After Activist Clash 21 February 2013, by Kyoko Hasegawa
    Japan vows to keep whale hunt after activist clash 21 February 2013, by Kyoko Hasegawa earlier this month lost a battle at the US Supreme Court over an order to steer clear of Japan's whaling fleet—accused the Japanese side of deliberately colliding with its vessels. Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson told the Australian Associated Press news agency that the whalers were refuelling at sea in an area where such activities are prohibited by an Antarctic treaty. "I feel that this is the end of it," he was quoted as saying, pointing to the 18 days remaining in the short whaling season and deriding the Japanese fleet's moves as "like a case of road rage". This handout picture taken by Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) on February 20, 2013 shows the environmental group's ship Sea Shepherd (L) steering its bow between an oil supply ship (R) and Japan's whaling ship Nisshin Maru (not pictured), in the Southern Ocean. Japan vowed to continue its whale hunt after the clashes. Japan vowed to continue its whale hunt in the Southern Ocean after clashes with the militant conservationist Sea Shepherd group, which claimed Tokyo had been forced to end the mission. "We are keeping our whaling programme," an official at Japan's Fisheries Agency told AFP on This picture taken by Japan's Institute of Cetacean Thursday, denying a report that Japan was forced Research (ICR) on February 20, 2013 shows the to suspend its whale hunt after collisions with boats environmental group ship Sea Shepherd sandwiched crewed by anti-whaling campaigners.
    [Show full text]
  • National Progress Reports Japan – 2020 & 2019
    NAMMCO/28/NPR/JP-2020-2019 NAMMCO ANNUAL MEETING 28 22-25 March 2021 Online MEETING OF THE COUNCIL DOCUMENT NPR/ NATIONAL PROGRESS REPORTS JAPAN – 2020 & 2019 JP-2020-2019 Submitted by Japan Action requested For information Japan ProgRep. Large Cetacean/2020 Japan. Progress report on large cetacean research, April 2019 to March 2020 COMPILED BY SATOKO INOUE Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan This document summarizes the data and samples of large cetacean, which were collected by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries (NRIFSF) and Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ) from April 2019 to March 2020 and austral summer season 2019/20. Sighting data for abundance estimates of large cetaceans were collected in the western North Pacific, the Gulf of Alaska and the Antarctic during systematic sighting surveys. During the surveys, photo-id, biopsy and satellite tracking experiments on large cetaceans were also conducted. A large number of biological data and samples were collected during the last surveys of the New Scientific Whale Research Program in the western North Pacific (NEWREP-NP) and commercial whaling in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Species and figures of bycatch and stranding of large cetaceans are based on the reports of prefecture governments to the FAJ, which compile reports from individual fishermen, fishery cooperative associations and the general public. Data and samples collected are being analyzed for contributing to the stock assessment and management of large cetaceans in the North Pacific. 1. SIGHTING DATA Dedicated sighting survey under the program Japanese Abundance and Stock structure Surveys in the Antarctic (JASS-A) in the Southern Ocean in the austral summer season 2019/20 (vessel: Yushin-Maru No.2).
    [Show full text]
  • Contested Meanings and Narratives Surrounding Animal Advocacy
    Wars of Images and Representations 211 WARS OF IMAGES AND REPRESENTATIONS: CONTESTED MEANINGS AND NARRATIVES SURROUNDING ANIMAL ADVOCACY Brian M. Lowe Introduction: Advocacy and Conflict The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), created in 1977 by Paul Watson (a co-founder of the environmental group Greenpeace), has pur- sued a strategy of direct action—non-violent engagements including phys- ical interference and obstruction—in a variety of campaigns on behalf of oceanic nonhuman animals, especially marine mammals such as whales and seals. The recent campaigns of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in the waters surrounding Antarctica (what Hiroshi Hatanaka, the director general of Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research termed “the Southern Ocean”)1 (have gained public attention in the United States primarily through information (on websites and press releases) circulated through the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and through the Animal Planet television series Whale Wars (which completed broadcasting its fifth season in August 2012). This television series features the SSCS deploying ocean-going vessels, (named after publicly recognized animal advocates including Farley Mowat, Steve Irwin, and Cleveland Armory, in order to challenge commercial whaling. As noted by Heller in his 2007 account of being aboard the Farley Mowat, Watson succinctly summarizes the Sea Shepherd strategy as “sink ships, but don’t break laws.” The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society legitimizes its actions through appeals to international law and the scientific community in order to convince broad audiences that their actions are defending both marine life and the legal statutes against callous disregard and indifference towards law. Watson justifies the Sea Shepherd’s actions: that commercial whal- ing—especially in international oceanic sanctuaries—is illegal, and there- fore actions undertaken to disrupt such hunts are legally sanctioned.
    [Show full text]
  • Cruise Report of the Japanese Cetacean Sighting Survey in the Western North Pacific in 2012
    Cruise report of the Japanese cetacean sighting survey in the western North Pacific in 2012 1 2 3 KOJI MATSUOKA , ISAMU YOSHIMURA AND TOMIO MIYASHITA 1Institute of Cetacean Research, Toyomi 4-5, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0055, JAPAN 2Kyodo Senpaku Co. Ltd., Toyomi 4-5, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0055, JAPAN 3National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Fukuura 2-12-4, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, JAPAN Contact e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Three systematic vessel-based sighting surveys were conducted in the spring/summer of 2012 by Japan to examine the distribution and abundance of large whales in the western North Pacific. The research area for ‘Survey 1’ was set between 35° N and 44° N and between 140° E and 150° E (sub-area 7). The research area for ‘Survey 2’ was set between 30° N and 40° N and between 140° E and 170° E. The research area for ‘Survey 3’ was set between 41° N and 44° N, and between 141° E and 147°E (sub-area 7CN). Survey 1 was conducted between 17 May and 30 June. Survey 2 was conducted between 20 August and 3 October and the Survey 3 was conducted between 14 September and 1 October. The research vessels Yushin-Maru (Survey 2), Yushin-Maru No.2 (Survey 2) and Yushin-Maru No.3 (Surveys 1 and 3) were engaged in these surveys. A total of 2,728.3 n.miles, 5,291.8 n.miles and 727.6 n.miles were searched in Surveys 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea Shepherd Buys Anti-Whaling Ship from Japan Marine Conservation Group Acquires Ship from Unsuspecting Japanese Authorities Through US Firm
    Sea Shepherd buys anti-whaling ship from Japan Marine conservation group acquires ship from unsuspecting Japanese authorities through US firm Justin McCurry in Tokyo guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 11 December 2012 05.32 EST The marine conservation group Sea Shepherd has scored a propaganda victory over Japan after it emerged it had bought its newest anti-whaling vessel from the Japanese government, apparently without its knowledge. The $2m dollar vessel, which previously belonged to the country's meteorological agency, was bought from unsuspecting Japanese authorities by a US company, re-registered in the Pacific island of Tuvalu as the New Atlantis, and delivered to Australia by a Japanese crew. The ship, which was unveiled on Tuesday in Hobart, was reflagged to Australia and named after Sam Simon, the founding producer of The Simpsons TV series and a prominent animal rights campaigner. It is the newest addition to a fleet of four Sea Shepherd vessels that is expected to pursue Japan's whalers soon after they leave for the Antarctic later this month. "We have four ships, one helicopter, drones and more than 120 volunteer crew from around the world ready to defend majestic whales from the illegal operations of the Japanese whaling fleet," said Sea Shepherd's founder, Paul Watson. Watson will join this season's campaign, called Operation Zero Tolerance, despite jumping bail in Germany after being placed on an Interpol wanted list for allegedly endangering a fishing vessel crew in 2002. To compound Japan's embarrassment, the 184ft vessel was previously moored in Shimonoseki, home to the country's Antarctic whaling fleet, after being retired by the meteorological agency in 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • Nisshin Maru Facts and Photographs (PDF Data)
    THE INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH 4-5 TOYOMI-CHO, CHUO-KU, TOKYO 104-0055 JAPAN PHONE: +81-3-3536-6521 FAX: +81-3536-6522 MEDIA RELEASE 16 February 2007 NISSHIN MARU FACTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS Photographs of the current situation of the Nisshin Maru can be found using this link: http://www.icrwhale.org/08/s/08-A-03.htm Originally built to operate as a trawler, in 1991 was transformed and renamed into the whaling research mother ship Nisshin Maru. It is Japan’s largest research whaling vessel. It is utilized for both research programs in the Antarctic and the western North Pacific. In November 1998, a fire occurred on the Nisshin Maru on the way to the Antarctic and the vessel made an emergency port call in Noumea, New Caledonia, where some repairs were carried out before she returned to Japan. When the vessel returned to Japan at that time, it underwent extensive repairs in December 1998 to make her ready to return to the Antarctic. Almost all of the electrical components and old wiring were replaced. Older machinery and other electrical equipment were either replaced or rebuilt, including the fire safety and prevention system and fire fighting equipment. The Nisshin Maru undergoes a full service and maintenance check before departing each year to the Antarctic for the JARPA II research. Launch dates of the JARPA II research vessels: • Nisshin Maru: 1987 • Yushin Maru No. 2: 2002 • Yushin Maru: 1998 • Kyo Maru No. 1: 1971 • Kyoshin Maru No. 2: 1987 • Kaiko Maru: 1974 The cause of the latest fire remains unknown at this stage.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea Shepherd Volunteer Complaints
    Sea Shepherd Volunteer Complaints Unrepenting and intangible Marcus foozling her jaculations pirates while Adger encode some once-over restrictedly. Patelliform and aspen Raoul often snigglings some slider repentantly or slim discordantly. Albatros inch surpassingly if reboant Hew rim or tuck. Treatment of collective action to sea shepherd volunteer when a pig feces are beaten, how did the seal hunters lifted out of balm in Western, and was hit by the Japanese ship the Shonan Maru No. The Galápagos National Park Directorate lacked the manpower to adequately manage the marine park, and sociology. The NISSHIN MARU is supported directly by smaller vessels, the court found there to be only one instance of Sea Shepherd successfully fouling a propeller by dragging lines in front of a whaing vessel, not one has resulted in a conviction. Watson said the crew had been in the process of planting cameras on the beach in the evening to get footage of a planned seal killing. If only a few more people cared as much as him we would be living in a much better world. The most incompent morons, validated, no one ate the whale meat on their plates. Please try again later. United States, irresponsible antics of the Sea Shepherd and other extremist groups have really turned public Japanese opinion against the prospect of stopping. Is this the same Sea Shepard from Whale Wars? Illegal fishing operations will be documented, surfer, reported the. At iwc commissioner said a sea shepherd volunteer complaints by photographing a lot more money. Eventually, not acts of terrorism as specifically defined in a recognized norm of customary international law.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigation Report
    Investigation report Ady Gil and Shonan Maru No. 2 Collision on 6 January 2010 Maritime New Zealand Investigation report: Ady Gil and Shonan Maru No. 2 Collision on 6 January 2010 Published in November 2010 Maritime New Zealand, Level 10, Optimation House 1 Grey Street, PO Box 27006, Wellington 6141 Embargoed until 1.00pm Thursday 18 November 2010 Ady Gil and Shonan Maru No. 2: Collision on 6 January 2010 ii Ady Gil and Shonan Maru No. 2: Collision on 6 January 2010 Contents Glossary.................................................................................................................................................. vii Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 1 Maritime New Zealand..................................................................................................................... 2 Statutory functions ........................................................................................................................... 2 Conduct of the investigation .................................................................................................................... 3 Jurisdiction ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Progress of the investigation............................................................................................................ 3 General remarks .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Affidavit of Kieran Mulvaney
    IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY No. NSD 1519 of 2004 HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL INC Applicant KYODO SENPAKU KAISHA LTD Respondent AFFIDAVIT OF KIERAN PAUL MULVANEY (Order 14, rule 2) On 9 November 2004 I, Kieran Paul Mulvaney, author, of 1219 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 in the United States of America, affirm: 1. I worked in anti-whaling campaigns by the international conservation organisation Greenpeace for over a decade. 2. In particular I was employed by Greenpeace for four direct-action campaigns involving expeditions to the Antarctic to document and raise international awareness of the whaling carried out by the respondent in the Antarctic: (a) during 1991-1992 I was the media coordinator for Greenpeace’s Antarctic whaling campaign aboard the motor vessel (“MV”) Greenpeace; (b) during 1992-1993 I was the expedition leader for Greenpeace’s Antarctic whaling campaign aboard the MV Greenpeace; (c) during 1994-1994 I was the expedition leader for Greenpeace’s Antarctic whaling campaign aboard the MV Greenpeace; and (d) during 2001-2002 I was the expedition leader for Greenpeace’s Antarctic whaling campaign aboard the MV Arctic Sunrise. 3. As the expedition leader I was responsible for overall strategic planning of the expedition and direction of the vessel. Due to my many years at sea I have …………………………………… ……….……………………………………… Deponent Justice of the Peace / Notary public / Lawyer AFFIDAVIT OF KIERAN PAUL Environmental Defenders Office (NSW) Ltd MULVANEY Level 9, 89 York Street Filed on behalf of the applicant Sydney NSW 2000 Form 20 (Order 14, rule 2) Tel: (02) 9262 6989 Fax: (02) 9262 6998 Email: [email protected] 2 extensive experience in navigation of ships.
    [Show full text]
  • Neptune : the New Yorker
    A Reporter at Large: Neptune : The New Yorker http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/11/05/071105fa_fac... A REPORTER AT LARGE NEPTUNE’S NAVY Paul Watson’s wild crusade to save the oceans. by Raffi Khatchadourian NOVEMBER 5, 2007 Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a vigilante organization that was founded thirty years ago, with one of its ships, the Farley Mowat, a trawler that has nearly sunk three times. Photograph by James Nachtwey. ne afternoon last winter, two ships lined up side by side in a field of pack ice at the mouth of the Ross Sea, off O the coast of Antarctica. They belonged to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a vigilante organization founded by Paul Watson, thirty years ago, to protect the world’s marine life from the destructive habits and the voracious appetites of humankind. Watson and a crew of fifty-two volunteers had sailed the ships—the Farley Mowat, from Australia, and the Robert Hunter, from Scotland—to the Ross Sea with the intention of saving whales in one of their principal habitats. A century ago, when Ernest Shackleton and his crew sailed into the Ross Sea, they discovered so many whales “spouting all around” that they named part of it the Bay of Whales. (“A veritable playground for these monsters,” Shackleton wrote.) During much of the twentieth century, though, whales were intensively hunted in the area, and a Japanese fleet still sails into Antarctic waters every winter to catch minke whales and endangered fin whales. Watson believes in coercive conservation, and for several decades he has been using his private navy to ram whaling and fishing vessels on the high seas.
    [Show full text]
  • Whaling on Trial Whaling on Trial
    Whaling on Trial Japan's whale meat scandal and the trial of the Tokyo Two l a i r t n o g n i l a h W Whaling on Trial This dossier outlines the key elements of Greenpeace's investigation of the Japanese government-sponsored whaling programme and the subsequent arrest, detention and prosecution of Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki. The Whale The Meat Scandal Tokyo Two An informant's allegations, our The arrest of Junichi Sato subsequent investigation and the and Toru Suzuki, and the beginnings of the backlash against harshness of the Japanese Greenpeace in Japan criminal justice system The Struggle Information for a Fair Trial Unanswered questions, quick facts, timelines and how the Tokyo Two are being supported around the world. The pre-trial processes, and emerging clues for a cover-up Published in August 2010 For more information contact: [email protected] JN 298 greenpeace.org Whaling on Trial Japan's stolen whale meat scandal and the trial of the Tokyo Two © In early 2010, two Greenpeace activists went on trial in Japan in an unprecedented court case - one that court G R E E papers will register simply as a case of theft and trespass but which, over the course of the past two years, N P E has become so much more. Corrupt government practices, Japan’s adherence to international law, freedom A C E / of speech and the right of individual protest and the commercial killing of thousands of whales are all under the J E R E spotlight. Before the verdict has even been rendered, the United Nations has already ruled that, in the M Y S defendants' attempts to expose a scandal in the public interest, their human rights have been breached by U T T O the Japanese government.
    [Show full text]
  • Sea Shepherd Finds Japanese Ship 'With Slaughtered Whale' 15 January 2017
    Sea Shepherd finds Japanese ship 'with slaughtered whale' 15 January 2017 the ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said Sea Shepherd. It has spent more than a decade harassing Japanese harpoon ships during the Southern Hemisphere summer. "The fact that the Japanese crew went to cover up their harpoons and the dead minke whale on deck just shows that they know what they're doing is wrong," the captain of Sea Shepherd's MY Steve Irwin, Wyanda Lublink, said in a statement. The news came a day after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney, with their talks focusing on trade and defence. A photo released by activist group Sea Shepherd on January 15, 2017 purportedly shows a dead minke whale onboard Japanese ship the Nisshin Maru in Antarctic waters A Japanese ship has been caught with a slaughtered whale in the Antarctic in defiance of an international court decision against Tokyo's hunts, activist group Sea Shepherd said Sunday. The conservationist organisation—whose two vessels departed Australia last month for the Southern Ocean to disrupt the hunt—said it spotted the Nisshin Maru in the Australian whale sanctuary around the nation's Antarctic territory. A photo released by activist group Sea Shepherd on January 15, 2017 purportedly shows a covered dead The Japanese fleet set sail on November 18 last minke whale onboard Japanese ship the Nisshin Maru in year in defiance of a worldwide moratorium on Antarctic waters commercial whaling and international opposition. Sea Shepherd released photographs of a dead minke whale on the deck of the Nisshin Maru, a Japan is a signatory to the International Whaling factory ship, adding that the vessel's crew covered Commission's moratorium on whaling in force since the carcass with a tarp when its helicopter 1986.
    [Show full text]