I duped, sorry. Please see Joanne98's "Whale Diplomacy" from today. Delete. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Wall Street Journal

JANUARY 4, 2011.
Japan Pushed U.S. on Whale Group, Cables Show

By YOREE KOH
In the first set of cables leaked by WikiLeaks that originate from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan asked the U.S. to take action against an antiwhaling activist group for harassing Japanese whalers, including taking away the group's tax-exempt status.

The cables, which WikiLeaks posted online with a release date of Jan. 1, were sent two months before a Japanese harpoon vessel collided with one of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's boat, destroying it.

A total of four U.S. diplomatic cables—three originating from Tokyo, one from the State Department—show a push-and-pull effort from both countries, with the U.S. trying to get Japan to further restrict its controversial whale hunting. Japan's escalating problems with the U.S.-based Sea Shepherd group are repeatedly mentioned from the Japanese side as a thorn in negotiating efforts.

According to a cable dated January 27, 2010, Fisheries Agency Deputy Director General Masayuki Yamashita told U.S. officials that the Sea Shepherd confrontations could cause domestic political embarrassment for the Japanese government if they keep Japan from fulfilling its whaling quota.



Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704835504576059572077593268.html

[wtmusic]

1. Quota? But...I thought the whales were for research. nt