Whaling Wars in the Antarctic
- 14 years ago
This collision between a Japanese whaling vessel and protest boat, the Ady Gil, in the Southern Ocean on Wednesday is causing a stir in Australia and Japan.
Japanese media said Sea Shepherd had no one else but itself to blame, while Australian media headlines declared war, and predicted tensions would escalate.
On the streets of Sydney, there was widespread sympathy for the anti-whaling activists.
[Robert Casey, Sydney Resident]:
"Looked to me like the whaling vessel turned straight into it."
[Stephanie Pillora, Sydney Resident]:
"There is an overwhelming public support to stop whaling."
While some on the streets of Tokyo couldn't understand why the issue was only becoming a problem now.
[Maki Wayama, Tokyo Resident]:
"As whales are something that many have eaten normally during childhood, there's probably a lot of Japanese including myself that can't understand why this has become a problem only recently."
Japan has condemned Sea Shepherd, and has lodged a protest to the government of New Zealand, where the Ady Gil was registered.
[Yasuhisa Kawamura, Dep. Press Secretary, Japan Foreign Ministry]:
"The series of those sabotages taken by Sea Shepherd were very dangerous acts which would risk the life and safety of the Japanese crew members, and these acts should be strongly condemned. I underline that the collision took place at the end of the incessant and continued dangerous acts taken by Sea Shepherd's boat."
In the meantime Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson is calling on the Australian government to take action.
[Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Captain]:
"Well, they should send a patrol boat down here to restore order and also to protect these whales that the Japanese are illegally targeting. This is the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary in the Australian Antarctic territorial waters, so what are these Japanese poachers doing down here and why is the Australian government not here restoring order [...]
Japanese media said Sea Shepherd had no one else but itself to blame, while Australian media headlines declared war, and predicted tensions would escalate.
On the streets of Sydney, there was widespread sympathy for the anti-whaling activists.
[Robert Casey, Sydney Resident]:
"Looked to me like the whaling vessel turned straight into it."
[Stephanie Pillora, Sydney Resident]:
"There is an overwhelming public support to stop whaling."
While some on the streets of Tokyo couldn't understand why the issue was only becoming a problem now.
[Maki Wayama, Tokyo Resident]:
"As whales are something that many have eaten normally during childhood, there's probably a lot of Japanese including myself that can't understand why this has become a problem only recently."
Japan has condemned Sea Shepherd, and has lodged a protest to the government of New Zealand, where the Ady Gil was registered.
[Yasuhisa Kawamura, Dep. Press Secretary, Japan Foreign Ministry]:
"The series of those sabotages taken by Sea Shepherd were very dangerous acts which would risk the life and safety of the Japanese crew members, and these acts should be strongly condemned. I underline that the collision took place at the end of the incessant and continued dangerous acts taken by Sea Shepherd's boat."
In the meantime Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson is calling on the Australian government to take action.
[Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Captain]:
"Well, they should send a patrol boat down here to restore order and also to protect these whales that the Japanese are illegally targeting. This is the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary in the Australian Antarctic territorial waters, so what are these Japanese poachers doing down here and why is the Australian government not here restoring order [...]