Investigation ordered into Greenpeace claims of stolen Japanese whale meat
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| Tokyo, May 20, 2008 |
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The Tokyo district Public Prosecutor has confirmed that there will be an investigation into allegations made by Greenpeace of large scale embezzlement of whale meat from the Japanese-government-subsidised Southern Ocean whaling programme.
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On May 15th, Greenpeace campaigners produced as partial evidence of the
corruption 23.5 kilos of whale meat, which was hidden in one of four
boxes been sent by a crew member to his home, disguised as personal
effects. A four-month investigation by Greenpeace also highlighted
claims by informers that government-appointed officials from the
Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) and the whaling fleet operators,
Kyodo Senpaku are aware of the theft of the meat and local pubs and meat
traders expect to receive whale meat direct from the factory ship
Nisshin Maru well in advance of the official government release of
stocks at the end of June.
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| photo: greenpeace |
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"We are delighted that the Public Prosecutor has begun this
investigation and we will cooperate in every way possible to ensure that
it is a full investigation, to the highest levels and not simply the
scapegoating of a few individual crew members," said Junichi Sato,
Greenpeace Japan Whales Campaign coordinator. "While the investigation
is underway, the government has no option but to now immediately suspend
any whaling permits to the ICR and Kyodo Senpaku, as well as stop the
taxpayer's subsidy to the programme." Sato added.
Kyodo Senpaku officials have claimed that the meat is simply "souvenirs"
given to the crew by the company at the end of the expedition, but there
is clear evidence -- including false declarations on the whale meat box,
where the contents where claimed to be cardboard -- that the stolen meat
is taken in addition to the free packages handed out by the company.
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| photo: greenpeace |
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Additional allegations from informers that require investigation
include: throwing tonnes of whale meat overboard daily because they did
not have processing capacity for the increased quotas; cancerous tumours
being found and cut out of whales and the remaining meat processed for
public sale; and targeted hunts to ensure maximum catch, not random "sampling" as required by the research permits.
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