Posted by jamie — 6 September 2010 at 10:12am
-
Comments
Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, two Greenpeace activists known as the Tokyo Two, exposed widespread corruption in Japan's whaling programme, yet in return, they have been handed a one year suspended prison sentence.
Posted by jamie — 3 September 2010 at 10:54am
-
Comments
Junichi (right) and Toru (left) working on their defence during their trial (c) Sutton-Hibbert/Greenpeace
Two years ago, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki exposed a scandal involving government
corruption entrenched within the tax-payer funded Japanese whaling
industry. They are on trial for theft and trespass, and are awaiting the verdict due this coming Monday.
This will be the first blog Toru and I have written together, as up
until recently our heavy bail restrictions have meant that we could not
be in the same room or even talk to each other without a lawyer present.
The verdict in our trial is approaching, and on Monday
6 September we will know what our fate is. We don't really know what the
result would be, all we know now is that it is going to show the status
of Japanese democracy. It's a long way from where it was when this case
started - our investigation to end Japan's whaling.
As you may know, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki - better known
as the Tokyo Two - are on trial for intercepting a box of whale meat as
part of an investigation into an embezzlement ring within Japan's
taxpayer-funded 'research' whaling programme.
The Japanese government subsidises the loss-making whaling programme to
the tune of US$5 million a year, making the embezzlement of whale meat
exposed by Junichi and Toru a significant crime. But instead of the
criminals behind the embezzlement facing justice, it's the Toyko Two who
find themselves in the dock.
Posted by jossc — 8 March 2010 at 4:57pm
-
Comments
Tension is rising as round two of the Tokyo Two trial starts today in Aomori, Japan, where Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki are on trial in Japan for their role in exposing major corruption in the government funded whaling industry. This week they get to give evidence for the first time, and the whistleblower who alerted them to the embezlement scandal will also take the stand. Watch the video above for an update on the story so far...
There's little doubt that this is a politically motivated prosecution designed to silence the Toyko Two, as they've become better known, and to crush all opposition against whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
Posted by jossc — 9 February 2010 at 11:39am
-
Comments
Toru and Junichi at the 2008 press conference where they first exposed the corruption scandal
When two of our activists were detained after exposing major corruption
in the Japanese whaling industry - we knew the Japanese authorities
breached internationally guaranteed human rights. Now, as these two
activists prepare to take the stand and have their day, or more in
court, the violation of their human rights has been confirmed by a UN
working group.
Posted by jossc — 21 October 2009 at 1:57pm
-
Comments
Boxes like these, each containing over 20kg of whale meat, were taken illegally by members of the whaling fleet's crew
As regular readers will know, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, better known as the Tokyo Two, are on trial for intercepting a box of whale meat as part of an investigation into an embezzlement ring within Japan's taxpayer-funded 'research' whaling programme.
The Japanese government subsidises the loss-making whaling programme to the tune of US$5 million a year, making the embezzlement of whale meat exposed by Junichi and Toru a significant crime. But instead of the criminals behind the embezzlement facing justice, it's the Toyko Two who find themselves in the dock.