23 Environmental and Animal Welfare Organizations Ask Japan to End Dolphin Hunts

Aug 30, 2017 | Mark J. Palmer

Topics: Dolphins, Slaughter, Taiji, Japan

This coming Friday, Sept. 1st, marks the beginning of yet another slaughter season in Japan for hundreds of dolphins. In Taiji, dolphins are herded into the notorious Cove, where some are picked for a lifetime in captivity while the rest of the dolphin family is slaughtered for a meat market that barely exists.

In December, Japan will again send their whaling vessels to Antarctica to conduct “research” on whales by slaughtering several hundred minke whales, with the meat destined for the Japan market, although much will be put into cold storage as the market for whale meat in Japan is so poor.

Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project is calling on Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to end the slaughter of dolphins and whales. Twenty-two of our colleague organizations around the world have endorsed this message to PM Abe.

A copy of the letter, and the Japanese translation, is attached below.

Please consider signing our petition to PM Abe.

The Hon. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister August 30, 2017

1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo, Japan100-8968

RE: Environmental and Animal Welfare Groups Request a Permanent End to Hunting of Whales and Dolphins by Japan

Dear Prime Minister Abe:

On behalf of the undersigned organizations representing 2 million members members and supporters, we greet you with respect for the Japanese people and for Japan.

Our organizations are opposed to the killing of whales and dolphins.

We believe ending Japan’s killing of whales and dolphins, particularly in light of Japan’s hosting the Olympics in 2020, would be beneficial to Japan and enhance Japan’s international reputation.

In 2020, Tokyo will be hosting the summer Olympics. The world will focus on Japan, and Japan will have an extraordinary opportunity on the world stage to restore prestige.

On that world stage, the slaughter of innocent whales and dolphins, anathema to most of the world’s people and governments, would send a jarring note of Japan’s unwillingness to cooperate with world bodies like the World Court and the IWC. This need not be the case.

The Sept. 1st beginning of another season of dolphin hunting is only a few days away. In December, the Japanese whaling fleet still plans to set sail for Antarctic waters. Will the Japan government take action now to end the hunting?

A gesture of international cooperation and goodwill by Japan towards whales and dolphins would have immense global value.

Now is the time for Japan to start phasing out dolphin hunting and whaling.

Thank you for your consideration of our views.

Sincerely,

David Phillips Mark J. Palmer

Executive Director Associate Director

International Marine Mammal International Marine Mammal

Project, Earth Island Institute Project, Earth Island Institute

The Following Organizations Endorse this Letter:

Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari

Augusto Carneiro Institute

Black Cove

BlueVoice.org

Brazilian Humpback Whale Institute

Cetacean Society International

Change For Animals Foundation

Fundación firmm

Green Vegans / The New Human Ecology

Ilha Blue Lda

In Defense of Animals

Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society

M.E.E.R. e.V.

MelbourneDolphin

Nantucket Marine Mammal Conservation Program

No Whales In Captivity

OceanCare

Orca Conservancy

Origami Whales Project

Pro Wildlife

Whale and Dolphin Conservation

The Whaleman Foundation

World Animal Protection International

REPLY TO: International Marine Mammal Project

Earth Island Institute

The David Brower Center

2150 Allston Way, Suite 460

Berkeley, CA 94704

平成２９年８月３０日

〒100-8968

東京都千代田区永田町1-6-1
内閣官房内閣広報室

内閣総理大臣　安倍晋三殿

アースアイランド研究所国際海洋哺乳類プロジェクト

エグゼクティブディレクターデービッド･フィリップス

アソシエイトディレクターマーク・パーマー

環境保護及び動物愛護団体より、捕鯨及びイルカ漁永久廃止のお願い

拝啓　早涼の候、総理殿におかれましてはますますご清祥のこととお慶び申し上げます。　総勢 2 million名の支持者を有する下記諸団体を代表して、日本国および日本国民の皆様に敬意をもってご挨拶申し上げます。

私共は、鯨及びイルカの捕殺に反対致します。

特に2020年の夏季オリンピック開催を控え、捕鯨とイルカ漁の廃止は日本にとって有益であり、それによって国際的評価が高まると思われます。

2020年の東京オリンピック開催時には、日本が世界中から注目されます。世界舞台で日本の名誉を回復できる素晴らしい機会となり得ます。

世界中の人々や諸外国政府は、無実な鯨やイルカの殺生を忌み嫌っております。世界が注目する中、日本が国際司法裁判所や国際捕鯨委員会といった国際機関との協力を渋れば不協和音が生じかねません。そのような事態は回避されるべきです。

数日後に今シーズンのイルカ追い込み漁が解禁となります。１２月には日本の捕鯨船団が南極洋への航海を予定しています。これらの漁を廃止するため、日本政府は今すぐ何らかの対策をとって下さいますか？

鯨やイルカ保護のために日本が国際協力の姿勢と善意を示せば、絶大なグローバル価値が得られると予測いたします。

日本にとって、今がイルカの追い込み漁と捕鯨の廃止にとりかかるべき時です。

是非とも私共の要望をご検討頂けます様に切にお願い申し上げます。

敬具

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