Japan Dolphin Day Sept. 24, 2007: Update

[Guest guest]

Japan Dolphin Day Sept. 24, 2007: Update

 

How the annual Japanese dolphin slaughter will be abolished:

 

While the cruelty issues and food cultures issues are of deep concern to us

outside of Japan, we do not believe those two issues will fly anytime soon in

Japan. We believe we can get the hunt abolished because the dolphin meat

contains higher levels of mercury than the fish that killed and maimed so many

people in Minamata, Japan. Mercury poisoning is the Achilles heel with this

issue.

 

It was May 1956 when two innocent young girls -- one was two years and 11 months

old, the other was five years and 11 months old -- became ill at Tsukinoura in

Minamata City, which subsequently led to the official discovery of Minamata

disease.

 

You may have already learned the news about the three Taiji Town Councilmen

breaking ranks and speaking out about mercury contaminated dolphin meat that is

being served in the school lunch program in Taiji. This information is posted in

the top right corner of our website: www.SaveJapanDolphins.org

 

We recently interviewed two of the three town councilmen: Mr. Ryone Hisata and

Mr. Junichirou Yamashita. Japanese heroes in the works. The two councilmen came

to our hotel in the nearby town of Kii Katsuura for the scheduled appointment on

Thursday, July 19th. Journalist, Boyd Harnell also interviewed them for the

Japan Times. (You can see Boyd's article also on our website.)

 

I can't go into detail with all that was said during the two hour interview, but

I can say that the councilmen came forward with a great deal of information that

is important to the success of the campaign. For example, when Yamashita-san was

asked why the others in Taiji are not complaining about the mercury contaminated

dolphin meat being fed to Taiji school children, he replied: " The people of

Taiji are simply not informed. " The two councilmen, and possible the third

councilman, have already started a serious campaign to educate the entire town.

 

Keep in mind that the councilman are not speaking out against the dolphin

slaughter because of cruelty or food culture issues. It's all about mercury

poisoning.

 

It is also important to realize that these Taiji Town Councilmember's are

sticking their necks out and risking serious repercussions in Japan due to their

dedication to the truth. It is outrageous that they are being ignored by

Japanese government officials more interested in protecting dolphin killers than

protecting school children! THEY NEED OUR HELP! WON'T YOU STAND UP WITH THEM

ON SEPT. 24TH TO PROTECT THE TWO VICTIMS OF THE TAIJI SLAUGHTER: JAPANESE SCHOOL

CHILDREN AND DOLPHINS?

 

 

Yamashita-san told us that the mayor of Taiji had plans to build a new

slaughterhouse so that we won't be able to photograph the slaughter process. He

also wants to send the dolphin meat to other schools in Japan. I asked

Yamashita-san how the mayor could do this if we now know that the dolphin meat

can't be fed to the Taiji school children. If the meat is contaminated -- and we

know it is -- how can it be sold to anyone? After a long hesitation he said that

the mayor was wrong.

 

Today, we are assisting a grass-roots campaign inside Taiji Town. Working

together with some of the town councilmen, we are trying to remove the mercury

contaminated dolphin meat from the school lunch program in Taiji and make sure

that it's not sent to other schools in Japan. If we can do this, we can abolish

the annual dolphin slaughter in time. The meat is not fit for human consumption,

pet food or fertilizer. So what's the point of killing the dolphins for their

meat? What's the point of building a new dolphin slaughter house in Taiji if

they can't export the toxic meat? Would they not be setting themselves up for a

class action law suit if they tried to sell it to anyone else in Japan?

 

The first step in abolishing the slaughter is to get the mercury contaminated

dolphin meat removed from the school lunch program in Taiji. Once this has been

accomplished a very important precedent will have been set in place. If the

school lunch program is not acceptable because the meat is contaminated, how can

it be sold to anyone else in Japan or abroad?

 

Japan Dolphin Day on September 24th is all about protesting the school lunch

program in Taiji. We are protesting the Japanese embassies and consulate offices

because Japanese school children are systematically being poisoned. Our banners

and protest signs should reflect this message.

 

We need to hold some press conferences in key cities like Mexico City, London,

Washington DC, Berlin, Bern, Paris, anyplace there's a Japanese embassy

Everyone can go to the Japanese embassy directly from the press conference

taking the media with us.

 

( List of Japanese embassies: http://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/mofaserv.html

)

 

So here's the question: How many NGOs can we count on to participate in a press

conference in your city? Please contact me ASAP if you are interested.

 

Here's the list so far:

 

Ben White Fan Club - International Cities

Animal Welfare Institute - Washington DC

Earth Island Institute - San Francisco

In Defense of Animals - San Francisco

Conservation de Mamiferos Marinos de Mexico - Mexico City

Zoocheck Canada - Toronto

Djurrsttsalliansen - Stockholm

New York Whale and Dolphin Action League - NY City

Environmental Investigation Agency - London

WSPA - London

Marine Connection - London

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - Budapest

Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition - Boston

 

Thanks,

-- ric