Thursday, December 20, 2007

US Navy To Halt Hunting of Japanese Whaling Vessels for "Scientific Purposes" AP Reports

Dec 20th (Assoc Press)
In an about-face of earlier policy that allowed the hunting of up to 50 Japanese whaling vessels for "scientific study purposes", the US Navy announced today that US submarines would temporarily halt any further culls of Japanese whaling vessels pending a senior policy review. A US Navy spokesperson said the policy reversal had nothing to do with Japan's temporary halt to its deeply unpopular plans to "harvest" up to 50 humpback whales in Anarctic waters in contravention of previous international agreements. The US Navy reiterated its sovereign right to hunt Japanese whaling vessels that contravene international law, and human decency, on the grounds that such "research" is essential to the training and preparedness of America's navy, and thus the defense of America's way of life.

4 comments:

MTC said...

Cassandra -

A little noise makes a big difference:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/whale-watch/japan-gives-up-plan-for-humpback-slaughter/2007/12/21/1198175341941.html

"Cassandra" said...

Outrage is really the mild word.

I am pleased the Australians have taken such an aggressive position, and hope they'll (along with US Satellites) lend their planes to pinpoint the whalers' position.

At least the Inuit and Scandi's don;t try to justify with such obviously bogus excuses. The world is not that stupid, and Japan - as a mercantile nation - will need to be more sensitive in our wired modernity.

And thanks or thinking of me! Though I haven't said it, despite our occasional differences of opinion on the Macchiavellian-ness of Japapnese monetary policy, I have the utmost respect for your knowledge and contributions to better understanding Japanese policy processes. I am always impressed, and always learn from your comments and writing.

-C-

Anonymous said...

It's a start I suppose, but we just need to stop buying produce from Japan and those countries that supported the reintroduction of killing whales.

MTC said...

- C -

Thank you for your message.

A Merry Christmas or A Frabjous Penguin Day or whatever it is you say in the (currently) sunny Falkland Islands at solstice time.

- MTC -