GREENPEACE BLOCKS ILLEGAL JAPANESE WHALERS' HARPOON

22 December 1999

SOUTHERN OCEAN/AMSTERDAM -- Greenpeace activists today positioned themselves in the path of a Japanese whaling vessel's harpoon, preventing it from illegally hunting whales. The vessel, Toshi-maru No.25, is part of the Japanese fleet that is attempting to whale illegally in the protected Southern Ocean Sanctuary surrounding Antartica.

"By putting ourselves in front of the Japanese catcher's harpoon, we are putting it out of action and preventing it from illegally hunting whales for as long as we possibly can," said Greenpeace campaigner onboard the Arctic Sunrise, John Bowler. A Greenpeace activist, dressed as Santa in the spirit of the season, attempted to deliver the illegal whaling fleet a Christmas message but the Japanese crew refused to accept it.

The message detailed how the whaling fleet is in violation of articles 65 and 120 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas. UNCLOS requires that all states co-operate with the International Whaling Commission (IWC) which has consistently requested that Japan stops whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. The message has also reminded the whaling fleet that Greenpeace is a non-violent organisation.

This is the third day of protest against illegal Japanese whaling in the internationally-agreed Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Yesterday, the whaling fleet's "mother" ship, the Nisshin-Maru, made an illegal manoeuvre and rammed the Greenpeace vessel MV Arctic Sunrise in the remote and icy waters around Antarctica. The damage to the Greenpeace ship has been contained.

Greenpeace continues to call on governments to demand that the Japanese Government cancel its illegal Antarctic whaling program. To date only Australian, New Zealand, British and US governments have made diplomatic moves to pressure Japan to abandon the whaling program.

This year Japan intends to hunt 440 Minke whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary as part of its so-called "scientific research" program. However the whale meat produced by the 'research' is sold on the open market in Japan. By continuing to whale in defiance of continued IWC requests to stop hunting, Japan is in breach of UNCLOS. 144 nations of the world (including Japan) agreed in 1982 to respect UNCLOS.

**STILLS AND FOOTAGE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO INTERNATIONAL WIRES**

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

MV Arctic Sunrise: John Bowler on 0011 873 624 453 210 [satellite rates].

Sydney:
Desley Mather +61 413 837 135 (mobile) or +61 2 9263 0340 or Carolin Wenzel on +61 418 406 568 (mobile) or +61 9263 0359

Amsterdam:
Matilda Bradshaw +31 20 523 6608 or +31 20 6535 04701

** LATEST ACTION UPDATES ARE ON THE WEB**
www.greenpeace.org/~oceans/whales/index.html
OR follow the link from the Greenpeace International home page:
www.greenpeace.org
'Rough Seas', new audio diary of life on board at
www.greenpeace.org/~oceans/whales/onboardstories.htm

The activists currently in the inflatable boat are Deb McIntyre (Australia) & Daniel Rizzotti (Argentina).