Thread: Japan : Whalers sink Sea Shepherd boat

Originally Posted by Mid

it's a Dutch flag and they are obviously more than 12 nm from shore. story is what's good for the goose is good for the gander .

OK so Dutch.
Makes no difference to me really, as long as no animal or fish, what ever you want to call them is in no danger of extension and Japan is not breaking any laws then let them alone and they will settle it in their own fashion, but someone is going to die and no one seems to care.
So let them have at er, and I do expect that the Japs will have Jap Naval protection of her flag vessels next year and I am surprised that they do not have already..

Originally Posted by Mid

I did , and beat ya to it as well

Pedant!

Japs will have Jap Naval protection of her flag vessels next year and I am surprised that they do not have already..

wouldn't Sea Shepard love that

no way the Japanese Gov will go there .

Originally Posted by Mid

nope , mammals

Facts on whales for kids!

huh?

they live in the ocean, breathe water, have fins, swim.

FISH.

what sort of link is that anyway ? rubbish.

knows more than you do

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Bladdy hell, a somewhat sensible thread turned south with a simian simpleton.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/wgifs/Whalefish_bw.GIF

Originally Posted by kingwilly

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/wgifs/Whalefish_bw.GIF

and ????

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

Let's all pick on the Japanese.

What does your girlfriend think about all this nonsense? (I can probably guess)

Originally Posted by The Gentleman Scamp

Exactly - so let all get on with it and accept whatever consequences arise.

Indeed, Scampy. It is what it is. Vacant of the cast upon political and social schemes we invent for the situation.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Bladdy hell, a somewhat sensible thread turned south with a scumpy and jandajoy love fest

Word, William. As many a decent thread are hijacked by petty one upmanship and childish competition. Alas.....

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Originally Posted by Mid

nope , mammals

Facts on whales for kids!

huh?

they live in the ocean, breathe water, have fins, swim.

FISH.

what sort of link is that anyway ? rubbish.

Whales breathe water ? whats that blow hole on top of their head for ?

^
This is a serious thread about fish.
Keep your kinky thoughts out it, Peter.

Leave the seas shepard alone.....modern day heroes.

I admire those who have the courage of their convictions, but I draw the line at violence. If they only impede or harass the whalers, fine, but attacking them only invalidates their cause. I hope Capt. Watson can dial it back a bit before he loses all credibility.

Originally Posted by robuzo

That's a whale of penis. I believe it gets slapped at one point.

Huh? They have Pattaya girls working as crew?

Australia said Japan didn't sink Ady Gil: cable
Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

SYDNEY (Kyodo) Australian diplomats said in January last year that Japan's whaling fleet was not at fault for a crash that disabled the Ady Gil vessel belonging to the Sea Shepherd antiwhaling group in Antarctic waters that month, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Saturday.

The newspaper, citing U.S. documents released by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, said the diplomats told the U.S. Embassy in Canberra that the Japanese side would "come away clean" in any investigation of the collision.

But the U.S. Embassy, in its cable to Washington, said such a view would be "hard to swallow" for Australians, as "public outcry over the incident has been heavily one-sided and stoked by the opposition," and people were "already frustrated" that the government of then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was unable to stop Japan's Antarctic whaling.

Last May, the Australian government announced that its probe into the maritime incident could not clarify which side was to blame.

On Jan. 6, 2010, a patrol vessel with the whaling fleet collided with the protest ship Ady Gil, which later sank.

The U.S. Embassy said in the cable, sent after discussions with Australian diplomats, the videos suggest that the "Ady Gil stopped or slowed significantly in the path of the Japanese whaling vessel" and the "Japanese vessel's actions could be consistent with trying to avoid a collision."

The May report, however, said, "On the basis of the available evidence, (the) Australian Maritime Safety Authority has been unable to determine whether either vessel took any action intended to cause a collision."

After the January incident, the two sides had different accounts. Paul Watson, head of Sea Shepherd, claimed the Shonan Maru No. 2, the vessel sent by Japan to ensure the security of its whaling fleet, deliberately rammed the Ady Gil and "sheared the bow right off." The Japanese Fisheries Agency blamed the collision on Sea Shepherd.

search.japantimes.co.jp

US embassy cables: Japanese pressed US to take action against Sea Shepherd
Thursday 6 January 2011

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002588
NOFORN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/J AND OES/OA - LPHELPS
STATE PASS CEQ
USDOC FOR NOAA/NMFS - RWULFF
BRIDGETOWN FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Summary

1. US and Japanese officials discuss a proposal to reach a new global agreement for the International Whaling Commission. This would involve a 'compromise' deal to reduce the number of whales Japan catches for 'scientific purposes' in the Antarctic in return for being allowed to legally hunt limited numbers of whales off its coasts. Japan requests the US chief negotiator to act on a tax investigation of Sea Shepherd, a California-based anti-whaling group which has harassed the Japanese whaling fleet. Key passages highlighted in yellow.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2019
TAGS: EFIS, KSCA, PREL, SENV, IWC-1, JA">JA">JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN RECEPTIVE TO FURTHER ENGAGEMENT ON WHALING

Classified By: DCM James P. Zumwalt, reasons 1.4 b and d

1. (C/NF) Summary: U.S. representative to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Monica Medina met with senior officials from the Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ) November 4 to discuss progress in negotiations under the Future of the IWC process. The FAJ Director General described the results of recent talks in Santiago as a "major step forward" and said political level consultations on whaling are necessary following the recent change in administration in Japan. He defended Japan's proposal to base future reductions in numbers on current catch quotas rather than the actual number of whales taken in past years. He added that Australia's proposal to phase out research whaling is a non-starter for Japan. He said a successful outcome in the vote on Greenland's proposal to take humpback whales and action by the U.S. and others on Japan's complaints against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would positively influence Japan's negotiating position in the Future of the IWC process. Ms. Medina said the USG is looking for creative solutions to the remaining issues facing the IWC and positive mention at the upcoming U.S.-Japan summit of both sides' commitment to finding a solution on whaling would be a good signal.

End summary.

2. (C/NF) Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and U.S. representative to the International Whaling Commission Monica Medina met with senior Fisheries Agency of Japan officials to discuss the Future of the IWC process November 4 in Tokyo. In a morning meeting with Ms. Medina, Fisheries Agency of Japan Director General Machida said that while he expects difficult negotiations ahead, he wants the Future of the IWC process to succeed. According to Machida, political level consultations on whaling are necessary following the recent change in administration in Japan. However, he cautioned the new Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) administration shares the same fundamental position on whaling as the outgoing Liberal Democratic Party, including support for the resumption of commercial whaling and continued research whaling. He added that the two sides should not rush through the negotiations, which could end up making it more difficult to reach consensus at next June's IWC annual meeting.

3. (C/NF) Ms. Medina said the USG understands there is no fundamental change in the GOJ position on whaling, but that the USG is looking for creative solutions to move the IWC forward as opposed to fundamental change. She added that the U.S. is committed to finding a solution over the next two to three months. She said she would advocate for including language on whaling in a summit statement following the meeting between the President and Prime Minister November 13. The statement would express the desire of both countries to work out remaining differences on whaling. Once negotiators have narrowed the issues, both sides could seek a political solution, she added.

4. (C/NF) Machida described the progress at the Support Group meeting in Santiago as a major step forward. However, he said there remain two major issues that need to be addressed. First, there is still no consensus on the proposals raised in Santiago even among the Support Group members, let alone the entire IWC. Second, the upper limit on catch quotas, especially a reduction in the limit for Japan's research whaling in the Southern Ocean, have yet to be negotiated. Regarding Japan's catch numbers, Machida said Australia's proposal to phase out research whaling is a non-starter for the GOJ. He added that the baseline for any reduction in Japan's research whaling should be the catch quota figures and not the actual number of whales caught.

TOKYO 00002588 002 OF 002

5. (C/NF) Ms. Medina replied that the catch quotas is the most important outstanding issue. She said the Santiago proposal calls for an overall reduction in catch numbers from all whaling nations over a ten year period, which would help in securing approval from Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. She said given the history of Japan's research whaling, and the increase in quota numbers in recent years, there is room for Japan to cut from the actual number of whales taken. A symbolic action by Japan, such as agreeing not to take fin whales this year, would be a good indicator to the rest of the IWC of Japan's commitment to reaching a solution. The USG would then work hard to make sure the EU and Australia do not block a compromise.

6. (C/NF) Machida said there are two factors outside the current Future of the IWC negotiations that influence Japan's negotiating position. First, a negative outcome in the vote at next year's IWC intersessional meeting on Greenland's proposal to catch ten humpback whales could derail the work of the Support Group. Greenland's proposal has the backing of the IWC's Scientific Committee and another rejection at the IWC plenary meeting could make the overall compromise being discussed impossible. Second, the violent protests by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) could limit the GOJ's flexibility in the negotiations. He said the Netherlands should have primary responsibly for taking action against the SSCS, but he appreciates the USG initiative to address the group's tax exempt status. He said action on the SSCS would be a major element for Japan in the success of the overall negotiations. Ms. Medina replied that she hopes to work out differences with the EU on Greenland's proposal on humpback whales prior to the March 2010 IWC intersessional meeting and include the issue in the overall agreement. Regarding the SSCS, she said she believes the USG can demonstrate the group does not deserve tax exempt status based on their aggressive and harmful actions.

7. (U) Ms. Medina cleared this cable subsequent to departing Tokyo. ROOS

guardian.co.uk