japan

Japan votes against protecting last 100 Western North Pacific gray whales

Last edited 27 July 2001 at 8:00am
International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

The delegation of Japan showed its true colours today by voting against a proposal that encouraged all nations to treat as a matter of absolute urgency any measures that would help to protect a small population of Western North Pacific Gray Whales.

This population is down to about 100 individuals and is listed as critically endangered in the same way as the black rhinoceros, mountain gorilla and Southern blue-fin tuna.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, oceans, western north pacific gray whales, whaling

Japanese vote buying sinks South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

Last edited 24 July 2001 at 8:00am
International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

International Whaling Commission 53: Greenpeace keep an eye on proceedings

IWC conference update: day 2

Bad news today at the IWC when measures to further protect the world's whales were undermined when South Pacific nations were denied their right to a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (SPWS). Opposition from Japan, Norway and the block of countries that vote with Japan in return for Overseas Development Aid, prevented the sanctuary proposal from achieving the three quarters majority it needed to be adopted.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, norway, oceans, whaling

Japanese vote buying sinks South Pacific Whale Sanctuary

Last edited 24 July 2001 at 8:00am
24 July, 2001

Measures to further protect the world's whales were today undermined when South Pacific nations were denied their right to a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary (SPWS). Opposition from Japan, Norway and the block of countries that vote with Japan in return for Overseas Development Aid (1), prevented the sanctuary proposal from achieving the three quarters majority it needed to be adopted.

Article tagged as: IWC, japan, oceans, press releases, sanctuaries, south pacific, whaling

Vote Buying: Japan's strategy to secure a return to large-scale whaling

Last edited 23 July 2001 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
23 July, 2001

Japan's agenda within the International Whaling Commission (IWC) is self-evident - it wants a return to large-scale commercial whaling and is prepared to go to extreme lengths to achieve its goal. Unable to persuade the IWC to lift the current moratorium on commercial whaling Japan has, since the early 1990s, been openly operating a "vote consolidation operation"1 . The primary purpose of this operation is to recruit new member states to the IWC that will vote with Japan in favour of commercial whaling.

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Article tagged as: IWC, japan, reports, vote buying, whaling

Japanese whaling

Last edited 23 July 2001 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
23 July, 2001

The truth behind the Fisheries Agency of Japan's public relations campaign

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Article tagged as: IWC, japan, reports, whaling

Daily update COP6

Posted by bex — 19 July 2001 at 8:00am - Comments
wind turbines at sunset

wind turbines at sunset

Update: 19th July

The pace of activities continues to pick up rapidly here in Bonn.

Yesterday, the US Greenpeace students had a formal debate at 8 AM with the "Corporate" students brought over by a combination of climate skeptics, the oil industry and Republicans. Needless to say, our students carried the day, which started early because the "Corporate" students had to rush off for a sightseeing tour of nearby Cologne.

NGOs here have created a button (badge) with a picture of the Japanese flag and the words "Honour Kyoto" on them. German Environment Minister Jurgen Trittin was spotted wearing one, as well as delegates from many other countries.

Article tagged as: bonn, climate change, COP, japan, kyoto protocol, USA

Japan admits buying whaling votes in exchange for aid

Last edited 19 July 2001 at 8:00am
19 July, 2001

Greenpeace today expressed no surprise at the admission by a senior official of the Fisheries Agency of Japan, Maseyuku Komatsu, that Japan has been using overseas aid to secure support for its campaign to have the current international ban on whaling lifted.

The admission comes just a week before the start of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) conference in London (1). IWC countries already recruited by Japan through vote buying include six East Caribbean states, (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis), and Guinea. Panama and Morocco have joined the IWC this year and are also expected to vote alongside Japan.

Article tagged as: antigua and barbadua, IWC, japan, maseyuku komatsu, moratorium, oceans, press releases, vote buying, whaling

Daily update COP6

Posted by bex — 18 July 2001 at 8:00am - Comments
Volunteers occupy tanker- Italy

Volunteers occupy tanker- Italy

Update: 18th July , 2001

Much buoyed by the ongoing occupation of the Exxon tanker near Genoa, our delegation spread out early this morning across the conference center, gathering information and position papers, and focussing on the details of the negotiations for their assigned groups.

Today is the last day that substantive progress can be made before the ministers start the political negotiations in earnest tomorrow.

Article tagged as: australia, canada, climate change, COP, exxon, japan, kyoto protocol, stop esso

Daily update COP6

Posted by bex — 17 July 2001 at 8:00am - Comments
walrus on iceflow

walrus on iceflow

Update: 17th July , 2001

The big news at the conference today was Japanese Environment Minister Kawaguchi's press conference where she confirmed that Japan was here to negotiate seriously, and had a mandate to come to an agreement. We also understand that Japanese press is reporting the Prime Minister Koizumi has withdrawn his statements from over the weekend about no agreement in Bonn. It is clear that Japan is responding to public and political pressure from around the world. Unfortunately, inside the negotiations, they're backtracking and appear to be trying to wreck the negotiations - we'll keep you updated.

Article tagged as: climate change, exxon, george bush, japan, kyoto protocol, stop esso

Japan: climate saviour or climate killer?

Last edited 16 July 2001 at 8:00am
16 July, 2001

Latest press reports say that Japan has thrown into question it's commitment to the only global agreement on climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, by stating that there will be no progress at the climate meeting which starts in Bonn today. The talks stalled in the Netherlands last November as a result of US intransigence.

Greenpeace climate campaigner Stephanie Tunmore said,

Article tagged as: climate change, co2, japan, kyoto protocol, press releases