Guest guest Posted July 18, 2001 Report Share Posted July 18, 2001 Right now the IWC is meeting in London. Because of Japan's stacking of the committees, we may see a renewal of commercial whaling, if not this year, then next year. Thus the importance of reading these posts and acting to stop Japan and Norway. Visit our site www.stopwhalekill.org for more information, contacts. Dian ********* Japanese Official Defends Whaling Wed 18 Jul 2001 CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Japan's fisheries chief denounced efforts to curb the country's whaling industry, calling the species of whale most often killed by its fishermen the ``cockroach'' of the sea. He defended Japan's use of foreign aid to influence international whaling policy. Japan kills about 500 whales a year under a scientific whaling program, and is campaigning for a rollback of a 1986 worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Fisheries agency head Masayuki Komatsu said Japan had to use the ``tools'' of diplomacy and promises of overseas development aid to influence members of the International Whaling Commission to vote against restrictions on commercial whaling. ``Japan does not have military powers, unlike the U.S. or Australia,'' he said in an English language interview with Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio. ``In order to get appreciation of Japan's position, of course, it is natural we must resort to those two major tools.'' ``I think there is nothing wrong,'' Komatsu said, adding that the minke whale, the species most commonly killed by Japanese whalers, was ``a cockroach in the oceans.'' ``There are too many,'' he said. Six Caribbean countries voted with Japan last year on nearly every motion at the International Whaling Commission, including the defeat of a joint Australian-New Zealand proposal to create a South Pacific whale sanctuary. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark reacted angrily to Komatsu's comments, accusing Japan of bribing poorer nations to support its campaign to overturn the global moratorium on commercial whaling. ``This confirmation of Japan's tactics shows the desperate lengths it will go to in order to maintain whaling,'' Clark said in a statement. Japan has been under suspicion for some time of effectively buying the support of poorer countries, she said. ``Japan must surely be embarrassed by today's revelation from one its own senior officials,'' Clark added. Clark's government strongly opposes the Japanese scientific whaling program, and will again pursue a proposal for whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific and South Atlantic through the IWC. This year's IWC meeting begins in London on July 23. ``We are more determined than ever to protect the great mammals of the ocean in perpetuity, and today's admission by Japan underlines the urgency of this task,'' Clark said. Copyright 2001 Associated Press ============================================================ http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/d222578.htm Fisheries minister blasts SAS whale ban Otto Gregussen defends Norway's whale hunt. Norway's fisheries minister defended the country's controversial whale hunt Tuesday and said he was irritated by SAS' decision to refuse transport of whale exports. He accused SAS of virtual betrayal. Otto Gregussen said SAS' unwillingness to carry whale exports has no practical effect because most of the exports will be transported by ship. But he claims the airline's position " gives symbolic support to an international slander campaign against Norway. " He accused SAS of caving in to the international campaign, which has some activists calling for boycotts of all Norwegian and Japanese products because of the determination to continue whaling. Gregussen claimed there are between 120,000 and 150,000 minke whales in Norwegian waters. " We have, in the course of a short summer season, hunted 540 of them, " he said. " It's meaningless to portray that as a threat against the whale stocks here. " He claimed that on the contrary, Norway's whale stocks are growing. Gregussen noted that Norwegian politicians are in agreement on the whaling issue, and that policies are based on scientific research and conclusions. He denied that Norway was defying international accords on whaling. " Yet SAS decides they won't transport whale meat for ethical reasons, " Gregussen fumed, questioning whether the airline also had similar policies against transport of weapons. Aftenposten Interactive English Desk ============================================= Japan Uses Means to Press for Whaling Wed 18 Jul 2001 CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Japan uses overseas aid and diplomatic contacts to encourage countries to vote against restrictions on commercial whaling, the Japanese fisheries agency head said Wednesday. Japan kills about 500 whales a year under a scientific whaling program, and is campaigning for a rollback of a 1986 worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Fisheries agency head Masayuki Komatsu said Japan had to use the ``tools'' of diplomatic communications and promises of overseas development aid to influence members of the International Whaling Commission. ``Japan does not have military powers, unlike the U.S. or Australia,'' he said in an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio interview. ``In order to get appreciation of Japan's position, of course, it is natural we must resort to those two major tools.'' ``I think there is nothing wrong,'' Komatsu said, adding that the minke whale, the species most commonly killed by Japanese whalers, was ``a cockroach in the oceans.'' ``There are too many,'' he said. Six Caribbean countries voted with Japan last year on nearly every motion at the International Whaling Commission, including the defeat of a joint Australian-New Zealand proposal to create a South Pacific whale sanctuary. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark reacted angrily to Komatsu's comments, accusing Japan of bribing poorer nations to support its campaign to overturn the global moratorium on commercial whaling. ``This confirmation of Japan's tactics shows the desperate lengths it will go to in order to maintain whaling,'' Clark said in a statement. Japan has been under suspicion for some time of effectively buying the support of poorer countries, she said. ``Japan must surely be embarrassed by today's revelation from one its own senior officials,'' Clark added. Clark's government strongly opposes the Japanese scientific whaling program, and will again pursue a proposal for whale sanctuaries in the South Pacific and South Atlantic through the IWC. This year's IWC meeting begins in London on July 23. ``We are more determined than ever to protect the great mammals of the ocean in perpetuity, and today's admission by Japan underlines the urgency of this task,'' Clark said. Copyright 2001 Associated Press. ============================================================== Jul 19, 2001 updated IWC scientific committee wraps up discussion on minke whales LONDON, July 16, Kyodo - The Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on Monday wrapped up a two-week meeting to assess the stock of minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean, an issue that has widened the rift between whaling nations like Japan and those protesting whale hunts. After a one-day break, the IWC will convene four days of panel meetings -- including one to map out management guidelines for commercial whaling -- before convening a four-day annual meeting in London next Monday. The Scientific Committee, where debates were conducted behind closed doors, is expected to release its findings at the IWC meeting. In 1991, the committee set the population of minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean at 760,000, giving the Japanese whaling industry scientific grounds to press for a resumption of commercial whaling. Anti-whaling nations, however, have complained that the figure is too high, arguing that the estimate was based on insufficient scientific data. The Japanese government argues that even if the stock of minke whales is revised down to 500,000, that would still be high enough to justify commercial whaling. The main focus of IWC panel work -- scheduled to run from Wednesday through Saturday -- will likely be on the drafting of a set of management guidelines under the so-called Revised Management Scheme to regulate commercial whaling. Anti-whaling IWC member countries want to give international inspectors on board whaling ships the authority to crack down on illegal whaling. They also want legal power to regulate whale meat markets. Japan and Norway, both whaling nations, have rejected the proposals as beyond ''common sense.'' 2001 Kyodo News © Established 1945. ============================================= 18/07/2001 09:50 Japan admits using money to get whaling votes The head of Japan's fisheries agency today admitted his country had used overseas aid grants to bribe some countries to vote against an international ban on commercial whaling. Japan currently kills whales under a scientific program but wants a return to open commercial whaling. Fisheries agency head Maseyuku Komatsu said Japan had few tools with which to influence other countries on the issue. Mr Komatsu admitted Japan bought the votes with promises of overseas development aid (ODA). " Japan does not have military powers, unlike the US or Australia. You may dispatch your military power to East Timor, " he said. " Japanese means are simply diplomatic communication and ODAs. ============================================================== Japanese official admits whaling bribery 18/07/01 11:36:39 | AM © ABC 2001 Transcript of Radio program The head of Japan's whaling program has admitted, for the first time, that his country is bribing other countries in an attempt to overturn the global ban on commercial whaling. Transcript: LINDA MOTTRAM: Japan's poor image on the sensitive issue of whaling has taken a new battering with the surprising admission from a top official. The head of Japan's whaling program has admitted, for the first time, that his country is bribing other countries in an attempt to overturn the global ban on commercial whaling. Well, the startling admission comes ahead of next weeks key International Whaling Commission meeting in London. Tokyo correspondent Mark Simkin reports. MARK SIMKIN: In April in northern Japan, a massive ship returned to port. On board were the carcasses of 440 whales caught and killed in the Antarctic, not far from Australia. The world banned commercial whaling in 1986 but Japan's hunt is not illegal so long as it's for research purposes. Nevertheless, the Japanese Government wants a return to the good old days when it could kill as many whales as it wanted. Masayuki Komatsu heads the international division of Japan's Fisheries Agency. MASAYUKI KOMATSU: I believe that, you know, minke whale is, you know, cockroach in the ocean. MARK SIMKIN: Why do you call a minke whale a cockroach? MASAYUKI KOMATSU: Well because there are too many and speed of the whale, you know, swimming so quick. MARK SIMKIN: It's unfortunate that people then eat what is considered to be a cockroach. MASAYUKI KOMATSU: Yeah but, you know, a sarcastic analisation is, if you have maybe charming ladies, you aren't worried? If ladies not, you know, charming, you hate it? Or you're going to treat badly? I don't think that this is a fair ways. MARK SIMKIN: The body that determines the future of the world's whales is the International Whaling Commission. At the moment, the majority of it's members are opposed to commercial whaling. But Japan is determined to change that, so determined, it's resorted to bribery. At last year's annual IWC meeting in Adelaide, six Caribbean countries with no apparent interest in whaling, voted with Japan upon virtually every motion. They even overturned an Australian proposal for a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary. For the first time Japan's top fisheries official has admitted that his country bought those votes with overseas development aid or ODA. MASAYUKI KOMATSU: Japan does not have a military power. Unlike US and Australia, you may dispatch your, you know, military power to East Timor, that is not the case of Japan. Japanese, you know, means is simply diplomatic communication and ODAs. So, in order to get appreciation of Japan's position, of course you know that is natural that we must do, result on those two major truths. So, I think there is nothing wrong. MARK SIMKIN: Right now Japan has amassed a blocking vote. But the fear is, that before long, it will have purchased enough support to overturn the commercial ban all together. This is Mark Simkin in Tokyo for AM. Transcripts from programs " AM " , " The World Today " , " PM " , the " 7:30 Report " and " Lateline " are created by an independent transcription service. ================================================== 18/07/2001 09:54 Finnair joins opposition to whaling " Finnair is refraining from the transport of whale meat, blubber or other whale products on its aircraft. With this announcement, Finnair has joined the growing number of airlines taking a stand on whale product transportation, " Finnair said in a statement. " Finnair supports efforts for the conservation of endangered whale species as stated in international conventions, " it said. Similar pledges were made earlier this month by 21 major airlines which said they would not carry Norwegian whale meat exports =================================================== DNA Detectives Say Endangered Whale Sold in Japan ---------- ---- Story Filed: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 6:43 AM EST LONDON (Reuters) - DNA detectives discovered meat from endangered whales on sale in Japanese food markets, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said on Wednesday. The scientists said they found meat from protected humpback, fin and sei whales on sale. Their research also revealed horse and dolphin meat is being passed off as whale meat. The researchers, who have presented their evidence to the International Whaling Commission, purchased a total of 129 samples from whale markets and subjected them to DNA analysis. ``This new research finally reveals the truth -- that so-called scientific whaling is providing a cover for the illegal trade in endangered species,'' the IFAW's Japan representative Naoko Funahashi said in a statement released in London. Japan, where whale meat is a delicacy, is one country allowed under a 15-year-old international moratorium to catch a certain number of whales for scientific research. Environmentalists argue that carefully controlled whale-watching for tourists offers a financially viable alternative to hunting, with nine million whale enthusiasts generating record revenues of $1 billion in 2000. 2001 Reuters Limited. ======================================================= WINNIPEG, MB, Jul 18, 2001 (Resource News International via COMTEX) -- SCIENTISTS STEP UP EFFORTS TO SAVE DYING WHALE A team of marine scientists from Canada and the United States was preparing Tuesday for what could be a final attempt to disentangle an ailing whale that was lumbering toward the Bay of Fundy, Halifax. The rare North Atlantic right whale, cinched in a mess of synthetic rope, was about 120 kilometers south of Yarmouth, NS, yesterday, and moving slowly toward the bay, said an official with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The condition of the whale, a male known as Number 1102 or Churchill, has worsened considerably since it was discovered at the beginning of June. Its skin, normally a glossy black, has turned a cloudy white and pieces of it are sloughing off, said Teri Frady, spokesperson with the National Marine Fisheries Service. The whale had been off the coast of Cape Cod for weeks, where American veterinarians had tried several times to remove the line that's wrapped around its head. The Canadian Coast Guard and the fisheries department will provide equipment, expertise and vessels to take the American team out to the whale if it moves into the bay or along the southeastern coast of Nova Scotia. They managed to remove some of the line that was trailing from one of its sides, but have been unable to cut free a long piece that's restraining its mouth and restricting its ability to eat. Scientists are eager to save the whale since it is one of the remaining few in the world and is known to have fathered at least two calves. 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