US-Japan discussed 'action' against anti-whalers

[The Straight Story]

TOKYO – Japanese and American officials discussed taking action to weaken a prominent anti-whaling group, with Tokyo insisting that Sea Shepherd's confrontations on the high seas actually hurt efforts to reduce whaling, U.S. diplomatic cables show.

The U.S. representative to the International Whaling Commission, Monica Medina, discussed revoking the U.S.-based conservation group's tax exempt status during a meeting with senior officials from the Fisheries Agency of Japan in November 2009, according to the documents released by WikiLeaks on Monday.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's yearly protest campaigns — which chase Japan's whaling fleet in boats trying to disrupt the hunt by fouling fishing lines and throwing rancid butter at whalers — have drawn high-profile donors and volunteers, and spawned the popular Animal Planet series "Whale Wars." In Japan, the harrassment is seen by some as foreign interferance in national affairs, making politicians wary of getting involved.

Action against Sea Shepherd would be a "major element" in achieving success at international negotiations on the number of whales killed each year, the cables cite the director general of Japan's fisheries agency, Katsuhiro Machida, as saying.

Referring to Sea Shepherd, Medina said "she believes the USG (U.S. government) can demonstrate the group does not deserve tax exempt status based on their aggressive and harmful actions," according the cables.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110103/ap_on_re_as/as_wikileaks_japan_whaling

[The Straight Story]

1. kick for evening crowd(nt)

[flvegan]

2. Good luck with that, Japan.

Must be pretty damn effective if they need to have secret talks with our govt. officials to get relief from Sea Shepherd.

[Bonobo]

3. Japan kills whales and dolphins with an internationally agreed quota.

The US murders innocent humans in such huge numbers that it doesn't even count them all.

It also murders, imprisons and neglects its own citizens.

Given a choice, well...

It is a shame that people here seem willing to cry and risk their lives to stop the former but accept the latter.

[sudopod]

4. I like the Sea Shephard crowd

but ouch, good point.

[MoonRiver]

5. If all it took to stop the murder of citizens was a few boats and a handful of volunteers,

you would see it happening. I am both a human and an animal rights advocate. I don't think one needs to suffer for the other to be helped. I love, adore and support Sea Shepherd. I am also an ardent supporter of Amnesty International and other human rights groups.

[MoonRiver]

6. If Obama takes further action to support whaling,

he loses this family forever. NO COMPROMISE.