GREENPEACE CONDEMNS JAPANESE WHALING IN ANTARCTIC SANCTUARY AS FLEET SETS SAIL

GREENPEACE CONDEMNS JAPANESE WHALING IN ANTARCTIC SANCTUARY AS FLEET SETS SAIL

17 November 2000

Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Greenpeace today condemned the departure of the Japanese whaling fleet, which is heading to the waters of the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary for the 2000-2001 hunting season. By resuming the hunting, Japan is breaking its international commitments (1) and the international environmental group called on the Government of Japan to over-rule its national Fisheries Agency, which sponsors the hunt, and recall the ships.

"This whaling is carried out by a private institute which was established with a grant from the whaling industry and is subsidised by the Fisheries Agency of Japan", said John Frizell of Greenpeace International. "Japan claims that the 'research' is conducted for the International Whaling Commission (IWC), however the IWC's scientists have unanimously agreed that they don't need the information produced".

Last July, the IWC requested the Government of Japan to refrain from issuing permits to hunt whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary (2). This sanctuary, which surrounds Antarctica, was established by the IWC in 1994 by a vote of 23 - 1, with only Japan opposed.

"The fleet that sailed today returned to Japan only on the 20th September from a strongly disputed hunt in the North Pacific," said Frizell. "To turn it around and send it off to the Antarctic is deliberately provocative."

The hunt in the North Pacific was also carried out under the guise of 'research', despite the fact that it was not endorsed by the IWC's scientific committee. The IWC also agreed that the main objective of the study did not justify killing whales.

On 21st August, fifteen nations (3), led by Ireland, undertook a diplomatic protest in Tokyo expressing deep disappointment that this "scientific" program was proceeding and calling on the Government of Japan to act in accordance with the decisions of the IWC. The US has cancelled bilateral meetings with Japan in protest and is considering trade sanctions. Sixteen congressmen have sponsored a resolution calling on US president Clinton to withhold support for Japan's entry into a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council until Japan ends its so-called "scientific" whale hunts. In a last minute meeting held the day before the fleet sailed, Clinton called on Japan's Prime Minister Mori to reduce the catch, but Mori did not agree.

"It is absurd that a private institute and a single government agency should defy an international body and world opinion in this way on behalf of the vested interests of the whaling industry," said Frizell. "It is particularly absurd when poll results (4) show that only 11% of the Japanese public supports whaling and 14% oppose it. The government of Japan should immediately revoke the permits issued by their fisheries ministry and ensure that no more whales are killed in the Southern Ocean sanctuary in the name of bogus research," concluded Frizell.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
John Frizell, Greenpeace International, mobile +31 6 21 29 69 20
Luisa Colasimone, Greenpeace Communication, mobile +31 6 21 29 69 20
Stills and footage of the Japanese fleet departure and of Greenpeace anti-whaling expedition in the Southern Ocean (1999- 2000) are available on request.

Notes (1) Japan has ratified the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and it is in force for Japan. Articles 65 and 120 of UNCLOS require that 'states shall co-operate with a view to the conservation of marine mammals and in the case of cetaceans shall in particular work through the appropriate international organisations for their conservation, management and study'. Japan's failure to heed the resolutions of the IWC places it in breach of this requirement. (2) The IWC's resolution requested that the Government of Japan "refrains from issuing any Special Permits for the 2000/2001 season for the take of Minke whales in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary".

(3) The 15 countries were: Austria, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United States and United Kingdom.

(4) 'Whaling in Japan. Attitudes and Behaviour of the Japanese public. Research study conducted for Greenpeace by MORI social research November-December 1999. Roughly one in ten (11%) Japanese adults support whaling (2% strongly so) against a similar number (14%) who oppose it (3% strongly so).