Posted on 01/01/2006 5:41:10 PM PST by Dundee
Japanese warship 'to guard whalers'
A STANDOFF between Japanese whalers and environmentalists has escalated, with a conservation group claiming the Japanese Government has sent a warship to Antarctic waters to protect its fleet.
The Washington-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said it had received a tip-off that a Japanese naval ship had been sent to the region to defend its whalers from protesters.
The group said it was concerned the warship would try to seize its vessel and those of the two Greenpeace crews shadowing the whaling fleet through the Southern Ocean.
"The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research has made an open accusation of piracy and eco-terrorism against the Greenpeace Foundation and Sea Shepherd," it said.
"If Japan adopts the false accusations that acts of piracy have been committed against their ships, they can use the accusations as an excuse under international law to attack and seize the ships they accuse."
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's vessel joined two Greenpeace boats in the Antarctic waters last week to try to stop the whale hunt.
Both organisations have been accused of deliberately ramming the whaling boats -- an accusation they strongly deny.
Greenpeace spokesman aboard the Arctic Sunrise Shane Rattenbury said he had been unable to confirm rumours over the weekend, which is a Japanese national holiday, that the warship was on its way.
But he said the Japanese whaling fleet was under huge pressure due to the presence of the three protest boats, which were beaming rare images of a whale hunt to the world.
"I think it would certainly raise the stakes, because not only would it be a very expensive exercise but sending a military vessel into Antarctic treaty waters would make a very serious diplomatic incident," Mr Rattenbury said.
Environment Minister Ian Campbell would not comment on the rumour or what action the Australian Government might take if it proved true.
But on Friday he accused the Sea Shepherd crew of acting in a "warlike manner" by allegedly trying to damage one of the Japanese whaling vessels.
Senator Campbell referred an email from the captain of one protesting ship to the Minister for Justice and Customs. The federal Government has refused requests to send its own naval vessel to the Southern Ocean to oversee the whaling fleet, which is hunting in what Australia declares to be its Antarctic territory and a whale sanctuary.
Japan does not recognise Australia's claim to the waters.
Japan's constitution prevents it from sending an offensive force overseas. But in 1992, the Tokyo government passed a special law to allow a Japanese naval vessel to accompany the first shipment of plutonium oxide from France to Japan.
Greenpeace opposed the shipment of plutonium and sent one of its own vessels, the Solo, to shadow the load.
During the first leg of the voyage, the Japanese naval vessel Shikishima was accused of ramming the Greenpeace boat.
The Japanese Fisheries Agency maintains its whaling program is legal research.
If you think the Japanese are more of a problem than greenpeace it really explains Helen Clarks tenure. You havn't a clue noooob.
Having just visited the Admiral Nimitz Museum this afternoon, I'm not either, but...
if they must encounter "environmentalists," I hope there's no "seizing" of their vessels - just attacking...
Which side is going to surrender?
Yep, they'll run all over us with their walkers.
Japan is aging even faster than the US.
Even in the short time you've been here, you've likely discovered it to be a breath of fresh air.
Cheers!
Warning: Highly addictive.
> Welcome to Free Republic.
Hey, thanks mate!
Cheers!
"We do our best with what we have available: but we're a country with a population the size of metropolitan Chicago. Our resources go only so far: we do peacekeeping in Bougainville and East Timor, we've got soldiers in Afghanisan, and we patrol a huge part of the South Pacific for piracy, drug running, illegal immigrants, search & rescue, illegal fishing, smuggling...
We catch as many bad guys as we can."
Oh I know dude, you guys have been awesome with the war on terror. Since the japaneese have become rather pacifistic though, you could probably send a digny with the nz flag and a rifle and you probably could scare them off. And of course you could hit them in the pocketbook by doing a economic and tourist boycott of japan. Im not sure if toyota sells cars in nz, If they do start there.
How about Lord of the Rings fans like me?
I'm a conservative. I promise.
Cheers!
The US and most of the world does NOT recognize anyone's claims to Antarctica.
How can Australia and New Zealand enforce a non-ignistic right?
countries defend and enforce unrecognized boundries all the time. China still occupies indian territory, venezuela claims a good chunk of the carribean for itself, and we have a claim to a good portion of the western atlantic.
If australia and new zealand truly feel that this area is there back yard, then they have an unspoken right to defend it. And if anyone has a right to it it is the aussies and kiwi's and certainly not the japanese.
> Oh I know dude, you guys have been awesome with the war on terror.
We sent our elite NZ SAS to fight in Afghanistan.
I don't like whaling either (and Japan doesn't need it - they have plenty to eat), but I would love to see a boatload of Greenpeace Luddites get sent to the bottom. The same organization also tried to interfere with the peaceful transfer of nuclear waste by ship to the Tsukuba recycling plant. In other words, Greenpeace whines about the "problem" of nuclear waste at the same time as it gets in the way of Japan's solution to the same problem.
> ut I would love to see a boatload of Greenpeace Luddites get sent to the bottom.
Like I said, I'm no tree-hugger and I do not generally support Greenpeace or the Sea Shepherd Society, or their methods.
As it pertains to whale hunting, though, they have my full endorsement -- with a wish that our Governments would have the balls to send a frigate-or-two to do the job that an unarmed civilian vessel is doing, quite admirably.
I'm not. I wish they would wipe each other out. Militarily, I would call it about an even match. Let's all raise a Speight's when that happens!
---------------------------------------------------------
From the "International Whaling Commission" website:
"The purpose of the Convention is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry.
The main duty of the IWC is to keep under review and revise as necessary the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which govern the conduct of whaling throughout the world (Click HERE to view the full text). These measures, among other things, provide for the complete protection of certain species; designate specified areas as whale sanctuaries; set limits on the numbers and size of whales which may be taken; prescribe open and closed seasons and areas for whaling; and prohibit the capture of suckling calves and female whales accompanied by calves. The compilation of catch reports and other statistical and biological records is also required.
---------------------------------------------------------
Doesn't sound like global moratorium on commercial whaling..
Nor does it sound like the IWC is an official International Government or Treaty Organization empowered to write or enforce laws.
Can you provide a link to any International OFFICIAL Government organization that has outlawed Japan's current fishing activity?
Semper Fi
and I appreciate it. For a little nation you guys have a crack special ops team. You guys have had our back, I guess thats what kin dose, since we all come from the same mother (or do you guys say mum?)
Whale...on Iron Chef?
Piracy and an act of war. Again, unwise. I'm sure the US Navy would have no part of such an action. Be happy you don't get what you want.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.