Whalers told how we feel, says Japanese embassy (hunt "already started")

[Barrett808]

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Whalers told how we feel, says Japanese embassy
By Brad Watts
December 19, 2007 12:00am

JAPAN'S slaughter of humpback whales has outraged many Australians, but the nation will push ahead with its time-honoured tradition, Japan's new ambassador has reported to Tokyo.

The embassy yesterday told The Daily Telegraph the Japanese fleet had "already started" its whaling program.

This included the killing of humpback whales, which are common along Australia's coastline and have become an important tourist attraction.

While ambassador Taka-aki Kojima would not comment yesterday, he made a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute last week saying there was increasing tension among Australians about whaling in the Southern Ocean.

"I did report from my embassy to Tokyo what is the reaction in Australia, especially in regard to the humpback whale," he said in his speech.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22946685-5001021,00.html

[Hand]

1. "Japanese whaler! This is the Royal Australian Navy! Heave to or I will open fire."

That's what I want to hear. :grr:

[sailor65]

2. Are you sure you want to hear that?

An Austrailian military ship firing on a vessel of Japanese registry in open water might stop the whale problem for the time being, but it opens up a whole worse (IMO) can of worms.

And both countries are allies of ours, so it might be a very sticky problem.

And is that so different from the US attacking something or someone that has not attacked us, even if most agree that the target is guilty of some crime?

I'm not sure the unintended consequences are necessarily worth it.

I don't disagree with you about the problem, only about the effects of that solution.

[Hand]

3. Hmm... well...

There was a somewhat similar situation off the Grand Banks here in Canada a few years ago. The Canadian Coast Guard was patrolling for foreign fishing boats that were overfishing or taking undersized fish. They actually fired shots across the bow of a Spanish trawler, boarded it, confiscated the cargo, and brought it to harbour in Newfoundland. This happened in international waters and was preceded by warnings in previous weeks. The tape shown on television was pretty dramatic.

The trawler had indeed been taking undersized fish--a lot of them--and the Canadian Fisheries Minister brought its nets filled with baby fish to New York when a big brouhaha was going on at the UN. There was quite a bit of mutual recrimination, but not much of a crisis. I believe eventually enforcement was tightened up.

So I would sort of wonder about the potential consequences. I sure wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, though. :hi:

[micraphone]

4. Rudd is sending a ship down soon to monitor the whalers

Australia declared its waters around Antarctic a whale sanctuary in 2000, with heavy penalties for anyone even just annoying cetaceans.

They have every right (not to say a moral responsibilty) to arrest ANY ships and crews breaking Australian laws in their waters.

[xchrom]

5. ALL whales -- not just humpbacks. nt