7 December 2011 - Japan’s Whaling Fleet has left the port escorted by heavy guard as it prepares itself to slaughter almost a thousand whales in the Antarctic. More clashes are expected to happen as the members of the Sea Shepherd Marine Conservation Group are also expected to come. The conservation group accused Japan for funding the killing of the innocent whales with the money that was donated to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami that have devastated the country.
There are three ships that is being led by the 720 ton Yushin Maru, accompanied by the fisheries agency guard vessel has left the Shimonoseki Port located in the South-Western part of Japan. Reports said that Japan’s Government used 2.28 Billion Yen which is equivalent to: 30 Million US Dollars and 19 Million Pounds. The money as reported was from the Earthquake recovery fund and this also includes the existing 6 Million US Dollars annual subsidy to pay for this year’s whale hunt.
According to the Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato “It is absolutely disgraceful for the Japanese Government to pump yet more taxpayer money on an unneeded, unwanted and economically unviable whaling programme, when funds are desperately needed for recovery efforts. The whaling programme is a black mark on Japan’s international reputation and a black hole for taxpayer money. Pouring billions of yen into Antarctic whaling during this time of crisis is downright shameful. Japan cannot afford to waste money on whaling in the Antarctic when its people are suffering at home.”
On the other hand, the fisheries agency said that the use of the earthquake funds is acceptable and justifiable because one of the damaged towns is a whaling port.
Japanese groups had actually written a letter that is addressed to the Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda informing him of the protest against the use of the fund. In the letter given to the minister, it was written “We demand government not waste any more taxpayers’ money on the whaling program but instead spend this money on projects that actually help the people, communities and regions affected by the tragic March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.”
Reports also said that this year the whalers are planning on slaughtering more than 900 minke whales and about 50 fin whales. Commercial whaling has already been banned since 1986. However, the IWC also known as the International Whaling Commission has given Japan the permission to kill a limited number of whales only for research purposes.
According to Robbie Marsland from the International Fund of Animal Welfare in London “We are disappointed although not surprised that Japan’s whaling fleet has once more set sail for Antarctica to slaughter more whales. The reality though, is that the whaling industry is dying and this is its last gasp. The economics show that whaling is unprofitable and a bad policy for the Japanese people as well as for whales.”
Japan’s annual whale slaughtering has also caused a not-so-good news with New Zealand and Australia, this have once again called on the fleet to abandon its killing in an area they considered as a whale sanctuary.
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