Japan Whalers do Research On Boarders

[Papewaio]

Japan to release hostages - Smith

JAPAN has agreed to release two anti-whaling activists held on board a whaling ship in Antarctic waters, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.

Mr Smith said Japan had agreed to release Benjamin Potts, 28, of Sydney, and Giles Lane, 35, from Britain, after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and embassy officials in Tokyo spoke to the Japanese Government.

"Late last night I was advised the Japanese had agreed to this and they had instructed the relevant whaling ship to return the men to the Steve Irwin," Mer Smith said on ABC radio.

"The most important thing here is the safety and welfare of the two men concerned and we do as the Australian Government want their immediate release.

"My most recent advice, which is in the last hour, is that that transfer has not yet occurred and I'm calling upon both parties, both the Steve Irwin and Sea Shepherd and the Japanese whaling vessel, to effect immediately their safe return of the two men concerned."

I wonder if the Japanese ships name translates to Stingray?

[Beefy187]

The ship those two got in to is called "Brave and New II" or something like that. And I cant blame the Japanese because those two got in the ship with out permission.

[Mikeus Caesar]

I always look forward to the yearly whale hunt honourable scientific research expedition - hilarity always ensues.

[Reverend Joe]

Earlier, Sea Shepherd said it would launch its own "aggressive" rescue of the two activists if it had to.

Mr Watson said his crew would consider a mission if the men were not returned.

"It is always a possibility. I mean, we do have a reputation for being aggressive. We are non-violent, we have never injured anybody, but we are certainly not afraid of taking aggressive measures," Mr Watson said.

A Hippie SEAL team? Okay, buddy... if you say so.

On the other hand, those whalers are acting a little bit nutty. Okay, I could understand them getting pissed off and messing with the protesters, but holding them hostage and issuing demands seems a little... militaristic.

[Beefy187]

Well they did break the law. I mean they wouldve blown up the ship if they had to Whats the diffrence between them and the terrorists?

[Papewaio]

I have a cunning plan instead of rolling up the letter and dipping it into citric acid and poking out their eyes, lets use butyric acid instead.

How were they going to blow up the ship?

[Beefy187]

How were they gonna stop whaling?

PS-I might mention that im absolutely against whaling.. I just thought the topic would last longer if theres at least one whaling supporter

[CrossLOPER]

How were they gonna stop whaling?

Disruption is an awesome tactic.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Methinks international pressure against Japan to stop this bull of 'scientific' (which sauce goes good with humpback?) killing.

CR

[Ronin]

Methinks international pressure against Japan to stop this bull of 'scientific' (which sauce goes good with humpback?) killing.

CR

Mercury sauce.

Warning: Science content

[Papewaio]

Poetic justice for an adult. Dark tragedy for a child.

[Beefy187]

the 2 fellas came from organisayion called sea sheapards. They seperated from GP for their radical tactic to stop whaling. That organisation sunked 2 Icelander ships before and attacked the Japanese ship number of times.

Now I think most of you misunderstand us Japanese cant live with out whale meat. That isnt the case. Whale meat are extremely rare these days and throughout my life I only had whale meat once and never saw it being sold in super market. According to the whaling organisation of Japan those whale being killed (50 for each type) is the minimal number to get credible scientific report. And to show respect to the whale being killed Japanese people uses everysingle part of their body even the bones.

[El Diablo]

The fact that they use the whole part of an endangered animal killed for "scientific research" is very good to hear.

I would hate for it to be a total waste of time.

I hope the sarcasm dripping off this post did not get on your shoes.

If so my humblest appologies.

However I do not condone the men that boarded the ship. Dangerous, stupid and gives the whalers some form of "oh woe is us, look what we have to put up with", when in reality they should be shut down by diplomatic means.

But hey that is just my 2c.

ED

[Beefy187]

Like I said Im against whaling

Ok so lets say Americas doing scientific research. They are going to kill the whale and throw away all the meats bones and etc... Thats a great waste..

Japans whaling legally in the names of scientific research. And so far they are researching. Selling whale meat is only done to prevent the waste not the otherway around.

Australia has no right to stop Japan because Japan thinks that Southpole sea or what ever that part is called is not claimed by any country. Australias job should be observing the ship and make sure they kill no more then what they said.

Im guessing most people thinks whaling is barbaric only because we eat them. Isnt that heaps better then the westerns massacuring the whales in the 1800 just to get the oil and dumping the rest?

Finally according to our media (I dont trust them much but..) 2 "hostages" are in the room being fed properly and unharmed.

[Papewaio]

According to the whaling organisation of Japan those whale being killed (50 for each type) is the minimal number to get credible scientific report. And to show respect to the whale being killed Japanese people uses everysingle part of their body even the bones.

Have these same Japanese people then shown the full respect by reading the scientific reports that the scientists have came out with?

Have they sat down and compared the data with the tagging, photographing and other means to gather data?

Have they respectfully decided which methodology gathers the most useful data while preserving the maximum numbers of the species in particular endangered ones?

[master of the puppets]

Japans whaling legally in the names of scientific research.

hitler's final solution was in the name of progress.
lets face it, if there weren't hippy protesters to contend with there would be no more whales.

[Vladimir]

I've always wanted to taste whale.

[Beefy187]

I've always wanted to taste whale.

Its not worth it.. Taste like tuna

[Beefy187]

Have these same Japanese people then shown the full respect by reading the scientific reports that the scientists have came out with?

Have they sat down and compared the data with the tagging, photographing and other means to gather data?

Have they respectfully decided which methodology gathers the most useful data while preserving the maximum numbers of the species in particular endangered ones?

The Japanese government and most people wouldnt really give a nuts whether they can catch whales or not. I guess they are just being stubborn for few other reasons.

Japanese peoples believes religion called Shinto and Buddhism. Shintonism teaches us to respect every creature and materials because everything has a spirit inside. Whales are believed to be God of sea. And we wouldnt dare to extinct them. So I would want to believe that is still the case today and they are scientifically researching seriously.

I am no pro in science but im guessing there is some reason behind why they have to kill whales to research other then the reason "to investigate what sauce goes best with whales." Our long history of whaling already gave us answer that wasabi and soy sauce is the best

Keep pressuring and im sure theyll stop. We are pretty peaceful country

Sorry if my comment offended any of you. I want you to know that im in extremely difficult situation. Being Japanese and living in Australia

[Papewaio]

I think the boarders are a-grade idiots.
I think attaching demands before releasing them is at that point kidnapping. So the whalers lose whatever kudos they had before when they were boarded.
I don't think anyone can legitimately call it science when the first and foremost aspect is selling the culls.
People can be full of respect for something yet wipe it out from lack of understanding. When a population of animals is coming back from the brink I don't think killing them for research is the best thought out plan.
Also being towards the high end of the food chain capturing them has two consequences:
1) They will be more heavily polluted then smaller animals. The larger the animal the higher percentage of pollutants and/or the more members of the chain the more pollutants are found. So a carnivore that is the 5th in the chain will tend to have less pollutants then an equal weight carnivore that is 10th in the chain.
2) The removal of large animals/high chain carnivores can have a disproportionate effect on the chain that it eats from.

Wasabi and soy sauce go best with any sashimi.

[Beefy187]

I agree with Papewaio on most points except one point. They are definitely not doing whaling to make money or fullfill their bloodthirsty desire. So I dont really mind eating whale meat because either I eat it with greatest respect or they sink the dead body in deep ocean and gets eaten by fishes. I am more disgusted by Horse eating in Japan (im pretty sure they dont kill the horses) or Dog eating in Korea.

[Ronin]

Im guessing most people thinks whaling is barbaric only because we eat them. Isnt that heaps better then the westerns massacuring the whales in the 1800 just to get the oil and dumping the rest?

I think hunting wales is wrong because they are endangered.....what you do to then afterwards is of little importance, a dead whale is a dead whale is a dead whale.

in fact the Japanese people eating them with the high mercury levels wales have been proven to have nowadays might be considered one last act of payback on the whale´s part so I really don´t have much of a problem with that.

bottom line - > New Rule : Claiming you are killing and Endangered animal so that you can understand it better is retarded!! What is the point of understanding them if you might make it so there ain´t none left?

[Beefy187]

Oh plz dont hammer me... I do agree with you from the start...

Im just trying to say that we are not whaling to eat their meat. The best way is ofcause not killing them.

[Productivity]

There is no humane or quick way to kill a whale. Whale deaths are tortuous processes, resulting in much suffering for the animal over an extended period of time.

Whale meat is a luxury meat. It is by no means a staple food, being very much more difficult to acquire than comparable sources of protein.

There is no legitimate scientific need to kill 1000 whales a season. It's arguable whether there is a legitimate scientific need to kill 1 whale a season, but 1000 is taking it to an inane level. The Japanese have a long history of attempting to corrupt and subvert international bodies relating to whaling, in order to get their way (do some research into how much Japan pays Carribean and South Pacific nations in order to vote their way), in the light of this it is little surprise that they would attempt to continue commercial whaling under the cloud of research.

Essentially, the Japanese are causing high levels of anguish to animals to satisfy their own desires for consumptive enjoyment of a luxury product.

If a society were to torture a dog for hours on end, then kill it for their enjoyment there would be high levels of criticism, yet here, we allow this nation to continue inflicting such levels of suffering onto these creatures.