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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 9 November 1999

GREENPEACE DENOUNCES ILLEGAL JAPANESE WHALING

Greenpeace today condemned the Japanese government for allowing the restart of whaling operations in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around Antarctica. Japan's whaling fleet consisting of the whaling factory ship Nishin Maru, three catcher ships and a spotter vessel left Southern Japan today to hunt whales in Antarctica.

Greenpeace pointed out that the whaling operations planned by the ships are in violation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) whale sanctuary regime and undermine international law. Greenpeace called on governments to demand that the Japanese government cancel its Antarctic whaling program. The whalers plan to take 440 whales this year, up from 330 in 1995, and are considering expanding the number of whale species caught as well.

"It is an outrage that on the brink of a new millennium whaling fleets are still allowed to ply the seas in complete disregard of international law," John Frizell, Greenpeace International "The world governments must make it clear to Japan that it is not acceptable to trample international regulations."

The Southern Ocean sanctuary was created in 1994 by a decision of the IWC, the international body entrusted with conservation and management of the remaining whale populations around the globe. Continued whaling in the area conducted annually by the Japanese fleet under the guise of scientific research has been repeatedly condemned by the IWC. By ignoring these condemnations, Japan violates international maritime law, which requires that states must work with appropriate international organisations for conservation and study of cetaceans.

The "research" is intended to pave the way for large scale commercial whaling taking thousands of whales a year and the industry is making large investments in the future of whaling. A new factory ship was purchased in 1991 and a new catcher was purpose built in 1998. Sources in the Japanese industry have confirmed that one of the purposes of the 'research' is to train new crews for future whaling.

All whale meat produced by the "research" is sold on the commercial market, thus keeping the market alive.

"The Japanese government must revoke the license to kill that it issued to the whalers", John Frizell added. “And all government must make sure that this message is clearly heard in Tokyo."