WDC Blog - From the Front Line

Sometimes the worst of times seems to bring the best out of us. The world community has raced to help Japan to recover from the earthquake and tsunami and the UK has even gone so far as suggest that the European Union (EU) should offer Japan a free trade deal to help its recovery. However, the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), an unelected body financed by the Japanese Government, seems to want to be blind to all such moves and to be disconnected from the rest of the world community, pursuing a line of 'its whaling business as usual'.

In a press statement released last week (21st March), the ICR has reported on their Antarctic commercial whaling, (sorry, so-called 'scientific whaling'),  and in this statement appears to go on to condemn the Dutch, Australian and New Zealand governments for not condemning the Sea Shepherd Society. The press release appears to go onto suggest that these governments are, by default,  'supporting eco-terrorism'.

Whilst the world looks on in sympathy as the Japanese people continue to suffer, it seems the self interests of the ICR (who rely on the Japanese government for financial support  and for political support in the form of repeated rejection of IWC requests to stop their so-called 'scientific whaling') knows no bounds. For the ICR it seems as if it is "business as usual" at a time when business is anything but usual, and they are willing to challenge those very countries that have sent help to Japan in its hour of need.

Our hearts go out to our many Japanese friends and colleagues at this difficult time. The whole world is watching these terrible unfolding events. We would like to pass on our sympathies to those who have lost friends and family, and those who continue to face daily hardships in the aftermath of this huge earthquake, the continuing strong aftershocks, the tsunami and threat of further tsunamis, and the radiation concerns from the nuclear power reactors.

Several of us at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society have visited Japan over the years. I have visited 12 times, most recently in December and have many close Japanese friends who work on whale and marine science and conservation issues from the far northern part of the country to the southernmost islands. I have watched whales in the Kuroshio off eastern Japan, not far from where the earthquake and tsunami struck with its greatest force. Yesterday I found out that Mr. Miyauchi, the enthusiastic owner of the whale watch company in Choshi who took me out that day, lost his office, the moorings for his whale watch boat, and his car in the tsunami but he and his staff and families are safe. When my friend talked to him on the phone this morning, he cried — not from personal loss but from the heavy cumulative loss of so many lives and livelihoods in his town and all the towns along the northeast coast of Japan.

From around the world, we are all deeply impressed with the strength of character of Japanese people as a caring society and we know that you will remain strong, even gain strength, in this difficult time. Japan is often the first to come to the aid of other countries and we will encourage our governments to help Japan as well. On a personal basis, too, we would like you to know that we are with you, we feel your pain, and will stay the course.

Taiji Update And the Oscar goes to THE COVE, one year later
 

(07.03.2010) What had happened since then? One year ago, on the 7th of march 2010, THE COVE won the Academy Award as the best documentary.  Previous to that evening, the movie, revealing in a relentless and exciting way the Japanese dolphin hunt, won every award you can achieve with a documentary during film festivals.

But in Japan, the movie couldn't achieve much approval. The Japanese press criticized the movie itself and the fact that it achieved an Academy Award. The film distributors who released THE COVE in Japanese cinemas were attacked by ultra-nationalists as were the cinemas who wanted to show the film. As a result, many of them decided not to show it.

These results were not expected by the nationalists and things went quiet about the movie and it literally disappeared from the screens. However, the noise made by ultra-nationalists on the streets of Tokyo unleashed a debate about the freedom of press and opinion in Japan, which is in a bad shape. More and more citizens of Japan are taking notice of major corporations and bribed members of the parliament enslaving publishers and dictating which media has to publish and in which way. And more and more the citizens of Japan they want to conceive an opinion of their own. Therefore, more than a few urged to be able to watch THE COVE and make their own mind up.

At the end, the nationalists became very quiet because they did not want to draw even more attention to the movie. And the movie became a success in several Japanese cinemas.  That's one accomplishment of this cinematic masterpiece, which has been available on DVD in Japan for two weeks now - with alot of promotion before the release of the DVD. In addition to that, there is a synchronized and uncensored version available for download.  

It's without a doubt the movie resulted in the decreased demand for dolphin meat. Well informed sources are talking about a total decrease of about 30 per cent in comparison to last year. The reason for that is mainly that most of the people are now aware of the high level of mercury the meat is containing. Moreover, the younger generation doesn‚t want to consume dolphin flesh.

Therefore the decrease in animals killed in this season's hunt is not a great surprise and it allows us to be a bit optimistic. About 900 dolphins were killed during this hunting season, which ended a few weeks ago; in comparison to last year's season where about 1,700 dolphins were slaughtered. To make it short: Yes, the movie, the Academy Award, the worldwide publicity, the book and the pressure from outside haven't failed to have the desired effect.

But that leaves the question about what comes next. Does it need more and steady pressure? Or would more pressure lead to acts of defiance and to a hardening of the situation, ie. that they will hunt the dolphins more than ever? The only thing for sure is, that it would be fatal to give up now and to look away from what's going on. It's now time to look forward to a future without a dolphin hunt in Japan. And to pursue that goal with all reasonable efforts.

One the last resorts of the proponents of whaling is that it’s a defence against moves to eliminate cultural diversity, or that it’s a form of ‘cultural imperialism. For the real hardcore moneymakers in the whaling industries, it’s a small step to accuse people of racism, and I can assure you that some are happy to do so at the drop of a hat.

Well, the actual history of whaling puts paid to most of those arguments (its quite modern in most places and opposition comes from all types of people, including those living in Japan, Norway and Iceland), but I also think that this formulaic defence of the indefensible is just downright wrong, and seeks to confuse the public debate from the real arguments.

If you want to read a rationale discussion on the issue of Icelandic whaling that avoids the stereotypes, please read Katharina Hauptmann’s blog on Iceland Review - Insightful.

For the love of whales and dolphins? An alternative perspective on Japan

Recent news reports from Japan verify that the government ended their southern ocean whaling mission early, citing harassment by anti-whaling activists. The Japanese whaling fleet managed to kill 172 whales in the waters off Antarctica over the last three months, only around a fifth of the quota Japan had set for itself the season.  The Japanese whaling ships may, or may not, return to the whales’ Antarctic feeding grounds next year.  Reports from Taiji also indicate that the drive hunt season has ended a bit earlier than usual, as the season usually extends through March (and into April for pilot whales).

We know that a decision to end cetacean killing altogether will be based on more than reaction to public protest, whether it is on the high seas, or in Taiji.  Unsustainable government subsidies, waning interest and appetite in whale meat, increasing public awareness, and politics are other reasons Japan may be realigning its fleets and its whale-hunting strategies.

But it is an even more recent report from Japan that also has us encouraged:  it was reported on Friday night that approximately 50 melon-headed whales stranded on the shore in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan.  The stranding is not the encouraging news:  it is the response of the locals that is.  Apparently 22 whales were rescued and returned to the sea on Saturday through the efforts of some 200 people including city government officials and local residents and surfers near the Oritsu coast. 

This is not the first time Japanese citizens have risked personal safety or worked at great lengths to assist stranded whales and dolphins. Stories of divers and surfers, even fishermen, in Japan pushing stranded whales back to sea have surfaced in the press over the years.  And whale and dolphin watching is popular in Japan, as it is all over the world.  These stories just underline the complexities of the whaling issue; it is not possible to simply assume from Japan’s whaling and dolphin hunting policies that the public are not inspired and amazed, like us, by whales and dolphins, or would not run to their aid.

Despite the public’s notion that all of Japan is against these magnificent animals, with the ill-fated confrontations of Sea Shepherd and the Japanese whaling ships clashing each spring in the southern ocean taking center stage, and where even WDCS policy teams battle it out annually at the IWC side-by-side with diplomats and activists alike, trying to stave off another ‘research’ hunt by Japan-- we know better.  We have met, and work with, so many dedicated individuals in Japan that want to see an end to whaling, and dolphin hunting, and that stand side-by-side in our understanding of the need and desire to protect these sentient animals.

At WDCS, we are seeking ways to spread these seeds of change that will nurture the hearts and minds in Japan. And the real stories of individuals in Japan rescuing these animals, instead of slaughtering them or consuming them, are potentially the seeds of true change.  It is clear, whatever the motivation, that there is a love of whales and dolphins already existing in Japan, and we must find a way to encourage it, and nurture the compassion that continues to reveal itself.  We must continue to condemn inhumane practices, such as the coastal drive hunts or the offshore harpoon hunts, in all of their forms, while acknowledging that not all people in Japan eat whale and dolphin meat, or participate in these hunts.  And the lives of those whales saved in this most recent stranding, and the individuals responsible, are the difference.

The latest from Taiji.
By Hans Peter Roth - WDCS rep on the ground.
The hunt is over

(27.02.2011) As the drive hunt season in Taiji ends on February 28th, it dawned on me that the hunter won't hunt for the next six month. They dismantled the tarps in the harbor which helped to hide the dead bodies when they arrived for the slaughter house. And the metal rods have been removed from the boats.

In that way the hunting boats are turning into normal fishery boats which shows that there really is an alternative to the drive hunt, because for the next six month, the hunters are fishermen.

In the next step, the green, blue and gray tarps have been removed from the death cove. These should hide the whole massacre from the eyes of the uninvited, hidden observer.

After I added it all up for myself I am able to say, that about 900 dolphins died during the hunting season 2010/2011. That's an impressive decrease to last year when they are thought to have killed about 1,700 dolphins.

There were for the first time several observers from different organizations and from Japan here to report at any one time during the whole period of the hunt. Because of this, this season is the first time possible to get an approximate calculation of the number of dolphins killed and to compare it with the numbers that are published. The number of the captured dolphins is yet unclear. But as we now know for sure, the number is much higher than last year.

The End of the season is now even officially made public and some Japanese newspapers wrote about it.  The decrease of the number of slaughtered dolphins is a sign of hope. But the reason can only be guessed. Is the total number of dolphins decreasing? Are the dolphins beginning to avoid the region? Do the hunters on purpose hunt less animals to kill, because the demand for whale and dolphin meat is decreasing? Probably, it's a combination of all the factors. Fact is, that the hunters left some animals alone at times, instead of killing them.
Hans Peter Roth