Japan

World's whales and dolphins may face growing sonic threat

Posted by Willie — 12 June 2008 at 2:06pm - Comments

A dead dolphin - the victim of bycatch - lying on a beach

In Chile, the world's scientists are already meeting in advance of the 60th International Whaling Commission (IWC), which will be held there in late June. At this time of year, the eyes of the world turn to the deadlocked struggle between pro-conservation and pro-whaling countries as they clash over the future of whaling at the IWC meetings. And recent events have not been going well for the whalers - in recent weeks we have seen just how desperate the pro-whaling nations are to play down not only the recent scandal of stolen whale meat in Japan, but also the saga of exporting whale meat from Iceland and Norway. Both stories highlight the extent to which the whalers are routinely flouting not only international opinion but also the global ban on commercial whaling and the trading of whale meat.

Whale meat scandal: police launch investigation

Posted by jossc — 20 May 2008 at 10:53am - Comments

Greenpeace Japan delivering stolen whale meat to the Tokyo Public Prosecutor's Office

Greenpeace Japan delivering stolen whale meat to the Tokyo Public Prosecutor's Office

You did it! Following last week's revelation that crew members from the fleet responsible for Japan's so-called 'scientific' whaling programme had for many years been stealing and illegally selling off prime whale bacon at the end of each annual hunt, more than 40,000 of you wrote to the Japanese government to demand an investigation. Today the Tokyo district Public Prosecutor has confirmed that there will be one.

Crew caught stealing the best whale meat from 'scientific' programme

Posted by jossc — 15 May 2008 at 10:43am - Comments

Update 20th May: Tokyo Public Prosecutor agrees to launch an investigation

Crew members from the factory ship at the heart of Japan's so-called 'scientific' whaling programme have been stealing and illegally selling off the best cuts of whale meat. Our four-month investigation uncovered disturbing evidence of an embezzlement ring operating on board the Nisshin Maru, the floating factory ship which processes the whales caught by the whaling fleet's hunting vessels in the Southern Ocean.

Japan still splashing the cash to bring back commercial whaling

Posted by jossc — 4 March 2008 at 2:54pm - Comments

Greenpeace protest at the'Sustainable Use of Whales' meeting in Tokyo, March 2008

Greenpeace activists were demonstrating ouside The Japenese Foreign Ministry in Tokyo yesterday, where members of a dozen African and Pacific nations met to discuss whaling with Japanese bureaucrats. Representatives from Tanzania, Palau, Micronesia and Eritrea, all of which have received substantial 'fisheries aid' in recent years, were among Whaling Commission (IWC) and support Japan's latest bid to overturn the moritorium which currently bans commercial whaling.

Japan: public opposition to whaling increases

Posted by jossc — 18 February 2008 at 6:59pm - Comments

Japanese catcher ship tracked by Greenpeace inflatable

A new poll released today shows that the number of Japanese who don't support whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is growing - the 69 per cent figure is a slight increase on the number found by a similar poll last year. Perhaps surprisingly, the Greenpeace commissioned poll showed that 87 per cent were unaware that their tax money was being used to subsidise the whaling operation - to the tune of 500 million yen (about £2.4 million) each year.

Esperanza back in Tasmania after successful anti-whaling tour

Posted by jossc — 6 February 2008 at 5:26pm - Comments

Esperanza crew members watch as the ship moors at Hobart  after the 2008 Southern Ocean tour

Yesterday at 3pm local time the Esperanza departed from Hobart in Tasmania, Australia bringing to a close the 2007/2008 Southern Ocean Expedition. The ship had arrived on Sunday evening to a great welcome from the people of Hobart, including the mayor and a number of councillors.

After spending close to two months tracking the Japanese whaling fleet, Esperanza was forced to leave the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary last week when her fuel supply started to run out. The sanctuary had remained fatality free for the whales during the previous fortnight while the Espy chased the factory whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, across 5,000 miles of the Southern Ocean.

Esperanza leaves Southern Ocean but whaling campaign continues

Posted by jamie — 29 January 2008 at 2:41pm - Comments

A Greenpeace inflatable prevents the Nisshin Maru refuelling from the Oriental Bluebird

A Greenpeace inflatable prevents the Nisshin Maru from being refuelled by the Oriental Bluebird © Greenpeace/Jiri Rezac

A few days ago, the Esperanza - which had been pursuing the Japanese whaling fleet for two weeks - was forced to quit the chase and head back to port as the ship is running low on fuel. But this year's Southern Ocean expedition has been a resounding success.

Whalers blocked from refuelling in Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary

Posted by jossc — 22 January 2008 at 11:44am - Comments

A Greenpeace infalatable delays refuelling of the whaling ship Nisshin Maru

After eleven days successfully preventing the Japanese whaling fleet from killing whales in the Southern Ocean, the crew of the Esperanza were this morning able to inconvenience them still further by delaying the refuelling of their factory ship, the Nisshin Maru.

Second whaling ship leaves the hunting grounds

Posted by jossc — 18 January 2008 at 4:36pm - Comments

Here's the latest video update from Esperanza, on patrol in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary protecting fin and minke whales from whalers, plus a blog update from Dave, our intrepid onboard webbie:

Syndicate content

Follow Greenpeace UK