JAPAN: Japan says Sea Shepherd tactically used activists held in custody to wage a media war against Japanese whaling vessel

Record ID: 464079

  • Title: JAPAN: Japan says Sea Shepherd tactically used activists held in custody to wage a media war against Japanese whaling vessel
  • Date: 16th January 2008
  • Summary: (W1) TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 16, 2008) (REUTERS) GOVERNMENT BUILDING WITH SIGN IDENTIFYING THE JAPANESE FISHERIES MINISTRY TAKAHIDE NARUKO, DIRECTOR OF FAR SEAS DIVISION AT THE JAPANESE FISHERIES AGENCY, ARRIVING FOR PRESS CONFERENCE JAPANESE PRESS CAMERAS AT PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TAKAHIDE NARUKO, DIRECTOR OF FAR SEAS DIVISION AT THE JAPANESE FISHERIES AGENCY, SAYING: "The reason why Sea Shepherd is ignoring our calls is to create trouble for us and in order to pretend to the whole world that their members are being held hostage, using inflammatory terms to criticise us, and keeping them around in order to keep sending out these messages. We believe there is a strong possibility that is why they are not responding right now" JAPANESE PRESS AT FISHERIES MINISTRY BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TAKAHIDE NARUKO, DIRECTOR OF FAR SEAS DIVISION AT THE JAPANESE FISHERIES AGENCY, SAYING: "As the pictures taken by the Sea Shepherd show, it is true we briefly tied them up onboard but once the Sea Shepherd stopped its attack on us, we immediately untied the two men -- who were very calm -- and brought them into our custody. " FISHERIES AGENCY BRIEFING CONTINUES
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Environment / Natural World
  • Reuters ID: LVA2FMQ22YP6LW9HA9CVEBBPSKGI
  • Story Text: Japan says Sea Shepherd tactically used activists held in custody to wage a media war against Japanese whaling vessel .
    The Japanese government on Wednesday (January 16) says hardline anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd purposely ignored calls to let the Japanese hand back the activists in their custody in order to wage a media war against them.

    "The reason why Sea Shepherd is ignoring our calls is to create trouble for us and in order to pretend to the whole world that their members are being held hostage, using inflammatory terms to criticise us, and keeping them around in order to keep sending out these messages. We believe there is a strong possibility that this is why they are not responding right now,"
    said Takahide Naruko, director of the Fisheries Agency Far Seas division on Wednesday.
    Japanese whalers in the South Ocean captured and are holding in custody two anti-whaling activists who tried to board a Japanese whaling ship in order to deliver a protest letter.
    The Japanese whaling research centre ICR says the activists were harassing them and throwing bottles of acid at the ship and they said they were forced to tie the activists down briefly in order to concentrate on the Sea Shepherd's attacks.
    Naruko emphasised that the Japanese crew tied the two activists only for a brief amount of time.

    "As the pictures taken by the Sea Shepherd show, it is true we briefly tied them up onboard but once the Sea Shepherd stopped its attack on us, we immediately untied the two men -- who were very calm -- and brought them into our custody, " Naruko told reporters.
    Japanese fishing authorities said the two men boarded the whaler after making attempts to entangle the screw of the vessel using ropes and throwing bottles of acid onto the decks. Sea Shepherd said the pair threw stink bombs of rancid butter.
    Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Australian diplomats in Tokyo had asked the Japanese government to seek the immediate and safe release of the pair.
    Smith, whose new Labor government has pledged a tougher line with Japan on whaling, said the transfer had not yet occurred and Australian police were investigating claims of illegal action.
    Japanese government condemned the action and called for legal responsibility against the two men.
    Japan plans to hunt almost 1,000 minke and fin whales for research over the Antarctic summer, but has abandoned the cull of 50 humpback whales after international condemnation and a formal diplomatic protest by 31 nations.
    Japan has long resisted pressure to stop scientific whaling, insisting whaling is a cherished cultural tradition. Its fleet has killed 7,000 Antarctic minkes over the past 20 years.
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