David @ Tokyo
Perspective from Japan on whaling and whale meat, a spot of gourmet news, and monthly updates of whale meat stockpile statistics4/25/2010
Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution also clears whalers
Breaking news - multiple Japanese news sources (Jiji, Yomiuri for example) report that a Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution issued a decision dated April 22 that states that the non-prosecution of whaling ship crew members, who took whale meat home with them, was appropriate.
Self-proclaimed environmental NGO, Greenpeace Japan, had accused whaling crew members of "embezzling" some of the whale meat that eventuated from their ship's research whaling activities. The Tokyo First Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution determined that a decision by prosecutors in June 2008 to not prosecute (by reason of "no suspicion") 12 crew members of the research whaling vessel Nisshin Maru was "appropriate".
Greenpeace had recently lodged a complaint over this non-prosecution, requesting that the decision be reviewed. The resulting Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution (made up of 11 civilians selected at random) has now also recognised that the whale meat taken by the crew members consisted of souvenirs, the crew's food, and other meat that was unsuitable for further processing and would otherwise simply be disposed of, and that the owner, Kyodo Senpaku had approved the taking of this meat.
As such the Committee regarded the actions as not constituting embezzlement.
Meanwhile, 2 members of Greenpeace, which alleged the embezzlement by whalers, are currently on trial in Aomori after being arrested on charges of theft and trespass, for stealing a box of the whale meat from a transport depot in Aomori city that they later used for PR purposes when making their accusations amongst much media fanfare.
According to reports from the trial in Aomori, Greenpeace Japan has, rather than acknowledging their crimes and taking their punishment, continued to make claims of embezzlement in an attempt to try to "justify" the trespass and theft committed by their 2 members.
My take - now that even a committee of 11 non-government affiliated civilians has reviewed the situation, you'd think that everyone would accept that there was no embezzlement on the part of the whalers. However, Greenpeace Japan appears to be thriving off wasting tax payers time and money, and I suspect that they will still not accept this latest decision against their fabricated accusations of wrong-doing by whalers.
Self-proclaimed environmental NGO, Greenpeace Japan, had accused whaling crew members of "embezzling" some of the whale meat that eventuated from their ship's research whaling activities. The Tokyo First Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution determined that a decision by prosecutors in June 2008 to not prosecute (by reason of "no suspicion") 12 crew members of the research whaling vessel Nisshin Maru was "appropriate".
Greenpeace had recently lodged a complaint over this non-prosecution, requesting that the decision be reviewed. The resulting Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution (made up of 11 civilians selected at random) has now also recognised that the whale meat taken by the crew members consisted of souvenirs, the crew's food, and other meat that was unsuitable for further processing and would otherwise simply be disposed of, and that the owner, Kyodo Senpaku had approved the taking of this meat.
As such the Committee regarded the actions as not constituting embezzlement.
Meanwhile, 2 members of Greenpeace, which alleged the embezzlement by whalers, are currently on trial in Aomori after being arrested on charges of theft and trespass, for stealing a box of the whale meat from a transport depot in Aomori city that they later used for PR purposes when making their accusations amongst much media fanfare.
According to reports from the trial in Aomori, Greenpeace Japan has, rather than acknowledging their crimes and taking their punishment, continued to make claims of embezzlement in an attempt to try to "justify" the trespass and theft committed by their 2 members.
My take - now that even a committee of 11 non-government affiliated civilians has reviewed the situation, you'd think that everyone would accept that there was no embezzlement on the part of the whalers. However, Greenpeace Japan appears to be thriving off wasting tax payers time and money, and I suspect that they will still not accept this latest decision against their fabricated accusations of wrong-doing by whalers.
Labels: Greenpeace
posted by David # 7:10 pm 
Comments:
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I notice you haven't released the whale stockpile figures for a few months. Just in case anyone reading the blog wants to know why I'll tell them. The reason is that the whale consumption has gone through the floor. There has been less eaten in the last few months than the equivalent period in many many years.
Face it, no one wants to eat Minke meat it. The only meat even teh die-hard whale meat fans want to eat is Fin/Sei/Brydes/Sperm.
Face it, no one wants to eat Minke meat it. The only meat even teh die-hard whale meat fans want to eat is Fin/Sei/Brydes/Sperm.
# posted by 
: 6:03 pm
: 6:03 pm
Hi Anonymous, thanks for reading always.
The reason I haven't been posting the figures recently is because I had to adjust my priorities as is alluded to here, but let your imagination loose run wild if you wish. (Maybe you are with Greenpeace, which would explain that and why you are posting such a comment in response to this topic)
I have seen the whale inventory figures through the end of 2009, and no doubt whale consumption appears to have been relatively sluggish.
However I think the reason is not so much that suddenly "no one wants to eat Minke meat" as economic conditions have simply been bad all round, as everyone is aware. From what I gather from news reports other marine products such as tuna are also seeing relatively weak consumption, although I've yet to check figures in detail myself.
I hope to post the whale inventory figures through the end of 2009 along with such an analysis shortly.
The reason I haven't been posting the figures recently is because I had to adjust my priorities as is alluded to here, but let your imagination loose run wild if you wish. (Maybe you are with Greenpeace, which would explain that and why you are posting such a comment in response to this topic)
I have seen the whale inventory figures through the end of 2009, and no doubt whale consumption appears to have been relatively sluggish.
However I think the reason is not so much that suddenly "no one wants to eat Minke meat" as economic conditions have simply been bad all round, as everyone is aware. From what I gather from news reports other marine products such as tuna are also seeing relatively weak consumption, although I've yet to check figures in detail myself.
I hope to post the whale inventory figures through the end of 2009 along with such an analysis shortly.
Davidさん
こんにちは。鯨肉の販売が不振なのはやはり高いからなのでしょうね。在庫が増えると反捕鯨の連中の攻撃の材料にされるので、心配です。日本にもたくさんいますから。在庫は深刻な状況なのでしょうか。本当に問題なら、なぜ政府や流通業界は、積極的に販売促進しないのか不思議です。テレビや新聞、雑誌で鯨肉の宣伝、料理番組、レストラン紹介などを見たことがありません。もともとある世代以上の人は日常的に鯨肉を食べていました。思い出せば、たくさんの人が食べると思います。
wubai565
こんにちは。鯨肉の販売が不振なのはやはり高いからなのでしょうね。在庫が増えると反捕鯨の連中の攻撃の材料にされるので、心配です。日本にもたくさんいますから。在庫は深刻な状況なのでしょうか。本当に問題なら、なぜ政府や流通業界は、積極的に販売促進しないのか不思議です。テレビや新聞、雑誌で鯨肉の宣伝、料理番組、レストラン紹介などを見たことがありません。もともとある世代以上の人は日常的に鯨肉を食べていました。思い出せば、たくさんの人が食べると思います。
wubai565
wubaiさん、こんばんは。
今度鯨肉在庫の統計をまたアップしたらチェックしたいのが、マグロの在庫の推移です。この産経の記事にもありますように、”長引く景気低迷で国内のマグロの消費も落ち込んでいる。クロマグロは現在のところ２万トン超の冷凍在庫があり、１年分の需要がまかなえる状態だ。”、だそうです。
日本人の大好物のクロマグロだって在庫がこのころ比較的に多いですから、wubaiさんが言うように高い商品は売れていないというのが現状だと私も思っています。特に日本の消費者は外食を控えると鯨肉の消費は打撃を受ける気がします。かえって吉野家みたいなチェイン店が喜ぶ景気ではないかと思います。
在庫の存在自体が、潜在的な需要を象徴していると思います。価値のない商品はどうにか処分されるはずですから。業者は、在庫に商品持つのであればそれだけの見返りがないと意味がありません。
今回の金融危機でも見られましたが、リーマンショック後には様々な業界では一気に在庫を減らす傾向が出てきました。消費者が物を買わなくなると予想したからでしょう。でも、今景気が少し持ち直してきていて、ある程度また生産を増やして在庫を増やそうとしている動きが見られます。
基本的には、”景気が悪いから捕鯨禁止しよう”みたいな、いい加減が話についてあまり気にしていません。とりあえず、これからもおいしくいただきましょう！
今度鯨肉在庫の統計をまたアップしたらチェックしたいのが、マグロの在庫の推移です。この産経の記事にもありますように、”長引く景気低迷で国内のマグロの消費も落ち込んでいる。クロマグロは現在のところ２万トン超の冷凍在庫があり、１年分の需要がまかなえる状態だ。”、だそうです。
日本人の大好物のクロマグロだって在庫がこのころ比較的に多いですから、wubaiさんが言うように高い商品は売れていないというのが現状だと私も思っています。特に日本の消費者は外食を控えると鯨肉の消費は打撃を受ける気がします。かえって吉野家みたいなチェイン店が喜ぶ景気ではないかと思います。
在庫の存在自体が、潜在的な需要を象徴していると思います。価値のない商品はどうにか処分されるはずですから。業者は、在庫に商品持つのであればそれだけの見返りがないと意味がありません。
今回の金融危機でも見られましたが、リーマンショック後には様々な業界では一気に在庫を減らす傾向が出てきました。消費者が物を買わなくなると予想したからでしょう。でも、今景気が少し持ち直してきていて、ある程度また生産を増やして在庫を増やそうとしている動きが見られます。
基本的には、”景気が悪いから捕鯨禁止しよう”みたいな、いい加減が話についてあまり気にしていません。とりあえず、これからもおいしくいただきましょう！
David, I'm through with many NGOs the last decade, as a matter of fact Greenpeace has in my opinion been one of the best , my favourites are though bird NGOs as Birdlife International and its national branches as they aren't brainwashed.
I have critized the Swedish NGOs Djurens Rätt ( Animal Rights) and Animal Hope , because they lack all inetgrity and are actually the enemies of animals. You can see on one of the staffs sites , how they have ads for the aquarium industry ( despite that PETA has critized the fish in the tank industry).
They have no idea what IUCN's Red List is. When I pointed out this for the NGOs, I got 2 death threats , the latest by telephone at April 13 th 16 pm. They told me that " measures are going to be taken with you , and we don't mean the police , and you will have a big accident". You would guess that the AR people are not hurting people, now they issue death threats against me!
I have critized the Swedish NGOs Djurens Rätt ( Animal Rights) and Animal Hope , because they lack all inetgrity and are actually the enemies of animals. You can see on one of the staffs sites , how they have ads for the aquarium industry ( despite that PETA has critized the fish in the tank industry).
They have no idea what IUCN's Red List is. When I pointed out this for the NGOs, I got 2 death threats , the latest by telephone at April 13 th 16 pm. They told me that " measures are going to be taken with you , and we don't mean the police , and you will have a big accident". You would guess that the AR people are not hurting people, now they issue death threats against me!
The prosecutor's decision to clear KS/the ICR in the first place is based off what amounts to a one-page explanation that they had "investigated themselves and found no crime". Yes, very convincing. The PIC dismissing the charges without waiting for additional evidence that it was told would be provided in due course makes its decision even less convincing. Particularly considering it is still lead by a judge and is not wholly independent. If there is one thing that the Greenpeace trial has show repeatedly, is that the official story doesn't stack up. Every witness that has supposed to have supported the prosecution's side has contradicted their own statements, the official story, and the statements of other witnesses. This is an industry that only survives on taxpayer handouts and is rife with amakudari, how can anyone possibly argue that all is well?
# posted by : 2:00 pm
: 2:00 pm
Hi Joe, are you privy to the information that the prosecutors used when determining that there was no case to answer?
You seem a little confused about what the accusations were. They were that crew members of the whaling fleet had stolen meat. The meat legally belonged to Kyodo Senpaku. If KS are satisfied that their employees have not stolen from them, whether they write a 1 page report or a 100 page report the effect is the same, except writing a 100 page report would take more time and resources.
The ICR is indeed publicly funded. I would be happy to see commercial whaling resumed, and license fees used to fund the ICR instead of tax payers money.
However, the anti-whaling movement's opposition to whaling precludes this.
Amakudari is rife in the Japanese public service. It's a problem that is not specific to the whaling industry.
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You seem a little confused about what the accusations were. They were that crew members of the whaling fleet had stolen meat. The meat legally belonged to Kyodo Senpaku. If KS are satisfied that their employees have not stolen from them, whether they write a 1 page report or a 100 page report the effect is the same, except writing a 100 page report would take more time and resources.
The ICR is indeed publicly funded. I would be happy to see commercial whaling resumed, and license fees used to fund the ICR instead of tax payers money.
However, the anti-whaling movement's opposition to whaling precludes this.
Amakudari is rife in the Japanese public service. It's a problem that is not specific to the whaling industry.
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