Captain Paul Watson calls on the Japanese Consulate in Brisbane

Report by Michael Dalton, Brisbane Coordinator

Tuesday 21^st September 2010 started with the disturbing news, from Sea Shepherd Investigator Scott West on the ground in Taiji Japan, that 15 pilot whales, caught over the previous few days, had been slaughtered.

In response to this horrific act and in contradiction to the media claims from the Taiji fishermen that no killings would be conducted throughout September (2010) Captain Paul Watson, supported by local volunteers, called upon the Brisbane Consulate-General to Japan to protest the killings and explain the Sea Shepherd position on the issue.

At shortly after 3pm the Japanese Consulate sent down the vice Consulate-General to meet Captain Watson in the lobby of the building, surrounded by local police the Captain handed over the latest Sea Shepherd log book, detailing all work undertaken by Sea Shepherd in 2009 around the world, and a copy of ‘The Cove’ DVD.  Media waiting outside to interview Captain Watson, eager to hear what response the Japanese officials had given to the protests from Sea Shepherd.

We know that in Brisbane, and every other capital city, the embassy and consulate officials have to report to and bow down to the views from the Japanese Government in Tokyo but we cannot stand idly by and allow the brutal and unnecessary killing of innocent cetaceans to go without our protest and condemnation.  Our work in Japan will continue until the lives of dolphin and whales, around places like Taiji, are safe from herding, hunting, killing and life in captivity.