Canuck_Buck

Japan dispatched its whaling fleet to the icy waters of Antarctica in November to kill about 1,000 whales under a program that Tokyo says is for scientific purposes, but which anti-whaling nations and activists say is a front for commercial whaling.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/13/antarctic.whaling.ap/index.html

Under worldwide pressure, Japan last month abandoned its plan to include 50 humpback whales in this season's hunt -- the first major hunt of humpback whales since the 1960s. It still plans to kill 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales.

Briman

Are the Japanese allowed to have torpedoes or even deck mounted guns yet?
Nothing would be funnier than seeing the Rainbow Warrior put the the bottom of the big gay ocean.

Canuck_Buck

ok it may not be Greenpeace this time but the Japanese are illegally whaling are they not?

An anti-whaling group is accusing the crew of a Japanese vessel of kidnapping two activists who climbed on board the ship to try to stop its whaling operations in Antarctic waters.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/16/activists.ship/index.html

"They're being held hostage, they've been kidnapped and the Japanese are trying to use them to try and extort an agreement out of us, which is to leave them alone ... which to me is a form of terrorism."

....why can't they just eat rice ?

rockyshamrock

correct me if I'm wrong in thinking this way but if they boarded the ship without permission isn't that an act of piracy. or Evan an act of war. just my thought.

Aught Six

Pirates should be shot on sight.

Briman

I agree, they should be let free.... toss them overboard.

kevin1

Yes it is an act of piracy, the environuts should be prosecuted under maritime law for doing it.

Canuck_Buck

Australian citizen Benjamin Potts and British citizen Giles Lane -- both members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society -- came on board the Yushin Maru No. 2 on Tuesday.

They tried to deliver a letter saying the vessel was violating international law and Australian law by killing whales.

according to the article....the Japanese still have explaining to do about the whaling activities however and holding those two just takes focus off of the illegal whaling does it not ?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/16/activists.ship/index.html

Japan has been hunting whales in the Antarctic and apparently plans to kill as many as 1,000 this winter. The killings are allowed under international law because their main purpose is scientific.

"We regard them as poachers," Watson said.

Sea Shepherd claims Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research -- which is backing the operations -- has said it will release the two activists if Sea Shepherd agrees to stop interfering in its whaling operations. The group says it will not agree to that demand.

how the heck is killing 1000 whales this winter for scientific purposes ?

more like sushi....[:'(]

Briman

Hmmm.

I like the lefties' use of the word 'terrorism'- terrorism never nvolves harming people but is always used to describe acts towards animals and 'mother nature.'

Briman

Like it or not, Japan along with a few other countries do have the right to hunt whales by international treaties and it is against the law to interfere. Its not unlike my home state where Indians have spearing seasons where they can take as many walleyes, Northern, and Muskies that they want while spawning. You don't have to like it, but its illegal to interfere.