japan

For immediate release: Tuesday 8th November 2005

The Japanese whaling fleet left port this morning to kill almost 1,000 whales, including endangered fin whales.

The fleet is heading towards the Southern Ocean, flouting an international ban on commercial whaling. Earlier this year, Japan announced its intention to more than double its cull of minke whales to 935 and to increase its programme further by killing 70 fin and 50 humpback whales - both of which are endangered - within the next three years.

Conservation groups welcome Tesco PLC's announcement that it has decided to stop selling all cetacean (whale, dolphin and porpoise) products in its Japanese supermarkets. The decision follows a joint campaign by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) and Greenpeace.

The 56th meeting of the IWC (International Whaling Commission) is due to take place next week, 19th to the 22nd July in Sorrento, Italy.

Oceans in crisis

Leading UK retailer, Tesco PLC, has been closely linked to the sale of products from Japan's controversial hunting of whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans), revealed the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Greenpeace today.

EIA investigations have revealed that C Two-Network, a Japanese supermarket chain and a member of the Tesco Group, sells canned cetaceans products in 32 of its 78 stores and fresh cetaceans products in 10 stores. Tesco purchased more than 95% of the Japanese company in July 2003.

A fleet of Japanese ships is to start whaling in the Antarctic by exploiting a loophole in an international agreement, Greenpeace said today.

The fleet, due to set sail shortly, is claiming that they are whaling for scientific research. However, according to Greenpeace, they are instead hunting whale meat to sell on the open market.

Willie Mackenzie, Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner, said: "The Government of Japan must call a halt to this.