PETITION TO WARN THE JAPANESE PEOPLE OF MERCURY DANGER

[Guest guest]

Dear friends and colleagues,

 

The most frequently asked question regarding the annual dolphin slaughter in

Japan is: What can I do to help? Our colleagues at Elsa Nature Conservancy (ENC)

have come up with a fresh, new answer to that urgent question, and a brilliant

one at that. In the petition below, ENC is asking the Japanese Minister of

Health, Labor and Welfare to put a warning label on all dolphin meat. The

petition is not asking the minister to deal with food culture issues or cruelty

issues. We are simply requesting a warning label similar to the one that's

placed on every package of cigarettes sold in Japan. If the warning label system

is implemented, it should have a major impact on the demand for dolphin meat.

Who is going to buy this questionable product with its warning label attached?

Yes, people still buy cigarettes despite the warning label, but cigarettes are

extremely addictive. Dolphin meat is not.

 

Please copy and paste this new petition on your website. Please include the

petition in your newsletter, urging your members to contact the minister by

e-mail and fax.

 

The new warning label idea will be the major theme for Japan Dolphin Day 2008.

The exact date of the annual demonstration will be announced later on.

 

Thank you,

-- ric

www.SaveJapanDolphins.org

 

 

PETITION TO WARN THE JAPANESE PEOPLE OF MERCURY DANGER

 

To:

 

Policy Planning and Communication Division

The Department of Food Safety Bureau

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

Tokyo, Japan

 

E-Mail: syokucommunication

Fax: +81-3-3503-7965

 

Dear Minister of Health:

 

There is worldwide concern that mercury accumulated in the human body may pose a

serious health risk, especially to pregnant women and children.

 

As you know, dolphin meat from drive hunts in Taiji, Wakayama prefecture, proved

to be highly contaminated with toxic chemicals such as mercury, methyl mercury

and PCBs. Repeated chemical analyses have shown that the level of mercury in

dolphin meat is much higher than the maximum allowable level set by the Ministry

of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan.

 

We understand that the role of the Department of Food Safety Bureau is to

promote food safety, thereby ensuring the health of the Japanese people. We

urgently request the following:

 

1. Prohibit the sale of dolphin meat that contains mercury exceeding the maximum

allowable level set by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). The

sale of food items with toxic agricultural chemicals exceeding the maximum

allowable level set by MHLW is already prohibited as a result of the

“Positive-list System,†which was adopted in 2006. Since mercury is as

harmful to the human body as toxic agricultural chemicals, the “Positive-list

System†should also apply to mercury.

 

2. Until the above request is put into effect, consumers must be warned of the

dangers associated with consuming mercury contaminated dolphin meat, in much the

same way they are being warned of the health risks associated with smoking

cigarettes: Every store that sells dolphin meat must be obligated to post a

prominent warning label on each meat package, stating as follows: " This food

item possibly contains mercury exceeding the maximum allowable level set by the

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Mercury accumulated in the human body may

harm your health.â€

 

Sincerely,

 

Name & address: ____________________