Every year in the village of Taiji, Japan there is a yearly hunt which results in the slaughter of over a thousand dolphins. Despite international protest including a 2009 documentary film, the Cove, which graphically displayed the mass dolphin killing, and won an Academy Award as best Best Documentary Feature in 2010, the yearly slaughter continues. Now approach is being tried. A petition is circulating addressed to Jacques Rogge and the International Olympic Committee requesting that Japan’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic bid not be considered until the Japanese government agrees to end the brutal Taiji dolphin drive hunt and makes it illegal to hunt dolphins in Japan. Click the link below to learn more and to sign the petition. It costs nothing and may do considerable good. Thanks to Scott Powell for passing the word along.
PETITION: Challenge Japan to END Taiji Dolphin Hunt for Tokyo 2020 Olympic bid
While it is good to try and stop this sordid slaughter at Taiji using the Japanese Olympic Games bid is not an effective negotiating point. It reminds one of the little boy who would not share his football with the other kids unless he could play on the winning team. This tactic will just make the Japanese even more stubborn not to consider change, particularly under the present Japanese Administration.
Good Watch.
Any sort of diplomatic and social pressure is far preferable than the vigilante violence from the likes of the Sea Shepherds. I think it might be presumptuous to assume what will or will not make the Japanese more stubborn on the topic of slaughtering dolphins.
would love to sign it, but the site makes you log in with facebook, which i can’t do.
and no one’s been physically hurt by the sea shepherd actions–just the japanese whaling company’s bottom line. they’re making a difference. if it continues to be a losing venture, the japanese will have to cease operations.
The Sea Shepherds ramming of ships at sea and attempting to foul propellers is reckless and illegal. One Japanese sailor drowned after being washed off a deck made slick by butyric acid jars tossed aboard by Sea Shepherds. Watson’s illegal antics have only guaranteed that the Japanese will not back down.