Japan Police Arrest Greenpeace Activists Over Stolen Whale Meat

[Barrett808]

Source: Bloomberg

Japan Police Arrest Greenpeace Activists Over Stolen Whale Meat
By Stuart Biggs and Tak Kumakura

June 20 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese police arrested two Greenpeace Japan activists today for allegedly stealing a box of whale meat the environmental group said it took to provide evidence of corruption in Japan's whaling program.

Junichi Sato, 31, and Toru Suzuki, 41, were arrested for allegedly trespassing and stealing whale meat from Seino Transportation Co. in Aomori prefecture, northern Japan, police spokesman Shuetsu Toda told Bloomberg News by telephone.

Greenpeace showed reporters last month a box containing 23.5 kilograms (52 pounds) of whale meat it said was smuggled ashore by a crew member on Japan's whaling fleet for sale on the black market. Greenpeace gave the box to prosecutors along with documents from its investigation into stolen whale meat worth as much as 15 million yen ($139,000), the group said.

``What is surprising is that these activists, who are innocent of any crime, would be arrested for returning whale meat that was stolen from Japanese taxpayers by crew of the whaling fleet,'' Greenpeace Executive Director Jun Hoshikawa said in a statement. ``It would appear to us that this is an intimidation tactic by the government agencies responsible for a scandal.''

The Japanese government spends as much as $60 million a year on its whaling program, including on expeditions to Antarctica backed by a license for scientific research it issues. The government relies on sales of whale meat to fund 85 percent of its costs.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aeULB9Q5sKlk&refer=japan

[TheWraith]

1. What's behind this obsession with whale meat by the Japanese?

Seriously, I don't get it.

[ReadTomPaine]

2. The bitter truth is that not even the Japanese want that whale meat

This situation exists because a few stubborn morons in high places refuse to let go of a savage leftover from an outdated concept of what they perceive to be the Japanese national identity. It's old school conservative Japanese nationalism, pure and simple.

Unwanted whale meat stockpile grows

JAPAN's whalers are going broke and have been forced to slash prices because no one wants to eat their growing mountain of whale meat.

The farcical truth of Japan's whaling industry was exposed yesterday by Japanese media reports that the Institute for Cetacean Research is struggling to repay $37 million in government subsidies.

The ICR, responsible for Japan's lethal "research operation", is flooding Japan with cheap whale meat that it cannot sell, according to the reports in respected newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific whales campaign director Rob Nicholl said the losses were further proof that there was no market for whale meat in Japan.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23206087-2,00.html

[TheWraith]

10. Exactly, their own people don't even want it.

I can understand their whaling after WW2, when they had to feed the population, but whale consumption dropped off to almost nothing BEFORE the ban. It just seems completely irrational that they'd spend as much time and money as they have trying to get around the whaling ban.

[LeftyMom]

3. Theu have so much they give it away in school lunches and use it for pet food

and there's still an enormous surplus.

[boomerbust]

5. Is it possible

that they were broke and hungry, like a whole lot of people in this country are about to become.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Tons of articles have stated the people DO NOT WANT the stuff.

It doesn't sell well, nor are they starving and have to have it.

[cosanostradamus]

4. OH, QUIT YOUR BLUBBERING!

[Judi Lynn]

7. That might seem more humorous if horrendous suffering weren't involved in killing these animals.

Sometimes it's better to wait for more appropriate occassions to share your "wit" with DU'ers.

A great part of real humor involves intelligence.

[uppityperson]

8. I have found this to be helpful

search. Though in some cases it does not signify anything definite, yet.

[Name removed]

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