Australia: Anti Whaling protest targets Japanese PM during APEC visit

The conservationists were allowed to talk to the deputy consul and present a letter and petition.

Dean Jefferys from the Byron Whale Action group said "I cant understand why Japan is prepared to disgrace itself internationally to satisfy the desires of a few power hungry old whale killers and eaters. Whale loving Australians are calling on the Prime Minister of Japan to show some courage and compassion and stop his countries cruel and inhuman killing of whales and dolphins. We are also urging our own Prime Minister, John Howard to convince Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while they are talking at this weeks APEC meetings, that if he wants good relations and feelings between Australia and Japan then all whaling must end immediately."

Officials have promised to pass on the letter to Prime Minister Abe.

======Copy of Letter given to Deputy Consul General =================

Dear Prime Minister of Japan

We the people of Australia are united in wanting the PM of Japan Shinzo Abe to know of our absolute objection in the strongest possible terms to the continued slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and in the north pacific and the dolphins in Japanese waters.

We are calling on the PM Japan to end all of Japans whaling including the abhorrent proposal to kill 50 Australian and Tongan Humpback whales and to stop the annual capture and slaughter of around 20,000 dolphins which take place in Japanese fishing towns such as Taiji.

We remind the PM that in allowing whaling in Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary whether 'scientific' or commercial, Japan is violating the Antarctic Treaty System.

As we have just seen in Iceland, with their announcement that no more whale killing quotas will be issued, whaling WILL eventually be stopped world wide, so Japan might as well stop now before the worlds public opinion of Japan deteriorates further.

In killing pregnant Minkes, Endangered and globally protected Fins and threatening Endangered and globally protected Humpback whales Japan is in breach of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Japans whaling is a direct threat to the $300 million whale watch industry of Australia and equally a direct threat to the fragile Tonga whale watch economy.

We would like to inform you that around 50 coastal towns/communities/councils have adopted specific identified and named whales through a national campaign called the Humpback Icon Project. We will be monitoring their safe migration and will not accept the cold blooded slaughter of our warm blooded kin

We urge the PM to initiate great change in his countries attitude to cetaceans, to abolish whaling and dolphin slaughter and to embrace the opportunity to become another whale watch nation proud of its coastal marine mammals and working with the International community to protect the whales and dolphins of the world, our wonderful friends in the sea. WADWA, 02/09/07.

===========================================

In other Whale Conservation News:

• Iceland announced that it had officially canceled Whaling Operations for the Next Year citing lack of commercial demand for whale meat. New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter welcomed the decision. "Perhaps Iceland's official recognition that there is no market for this meat could finally encourage Japan to stop its expanded 'scientific' whaling program and leave Antarctic whales in peace," he said.
• The Norwegian whaling vessel Willassen Senior was sunk in the northern harbor city of Svolvaer on Thursday evening, August 30, 2007.

Sources:

• Media Release Sept 3, 2007 - ANTI WHALING PROTEST TARGETS JAPANS PM APEC VISIT
• ABC online, Sept 3, 2007 - Protesters hand in anti-whaling letter to Japan consul
• Environment News Service - August 27, 2007 - Iceland Puts Down Its Whaling Harpoons for a Year
• Sea Shepherd News - Sept 1, 2007 - Norwegian Whaler Sunk