STOP the Whale Hunt!

1. Whales should not be commercially hunted.
2. The killing of whales in the South Ocean Whale Sanctuary should be banned.

Environment - Conservation and Environmental Education

Recent News
This year, we are taking the struggle to save the whales straight to Tokyo and the people of Japan. To save as many the whales we need to change government policy in Japan!
The Japanese government is pursuing a political prosecution of two Greenpeace activists in order to shut down peaceful protest and even the entire Greenpeace operation in Japan. Rather than bow to the pressure of this politically motivated trial, we will redirect that pressure on the Japanese government in order to ensure the trial becomes a judgment on whaling and not on our activists.

Greenpeace's campaign to end whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary has increasingly focused on the authorities in Japan, where 71 percent of the public do not support Japan's whaling program. As a result of the Greenpeace investigation into embezzlement of whale meat from the factory ship Nisshin Maru, Japanese authorities mounted a politically motivated prosecution of two Greenpeace activists.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the Tokyo Two, have been denied their liberty since exposing the corruption. They will be put on trial early next year, and face up to 10 years in jail for intercepting whale meat stolen by crew from the whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru. Amnesty International has denounced the arrest as being politically motivated, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee severely reprimanded the Japanese government for the "unreasonable restrictions placed on freedom of expression", as well as the abuse of trespass laws to suppress protesters in Japan.

"The extreme reaction by the authorities shows Greenpeace's work in Japan has put the whaling establishment under pressure" said Jun Hoshikawa, Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan. "The whale meat market has clearly collapsed and is unprofitable, and the stigma of scandal and corruption has made it an unattractive and less lucrative industry to work for. The whaling industry's days are numbered, and it's time for the Japanese taxpayer to demand the government stops subsidizing this bankrupt program."

Another victory was scored for the whales with October’s deflagging of the whaling fleet's refueling and cargo ship, Oriental Bluebird. This occurred after being ruled in violation of a number of domestic and international regulations as a result of work Greenpeace and local environmental groups took to inform Panamanian authorities of irregularities in the ship's operation. The Oriental Bluebird had a Panamanian flag. This international condemnation was a direct hit at the ailing Japanese whaling industry, who is suffering from declining business.

Learn more about activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki here: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/ne...


HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1) Join this cause.

2) Fan our Greenpeace USA Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gr...

3) Sign our Petition: If defending whales is a crime, arrest me!

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