Every year starting September 1, thousands of dolphins are violently slaughtered in Taiji, Japan. The Oscar-award winning documentary ‘The Cove’ captured the cruelty of the hunts and generated worldwide support to stop the killings, supporters include Hollywood celebrities and no less than US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy.
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After many years of campaigning by activists, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) decided to suspend the membership of the Japan Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) for violating its internal code of ethics that prohibits member zoos and aquariums to obtain animals from cruel sources.
In turn, the JAZA has warned all its member aquariums in Japan that any purchase from the dolphin drive hunts will result in the termination of its JAZA membership. All of these were made possible by grassroots support from the Japanese people to stop the killings.
Despite this, Taiji Fishermen vow to continue the hunts starting September 1. Filipinos join advocates all-over the globe in opposing this cruel activity in a solidarity action in front of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.
“We are glad that WAZA and JAZA has finally decided to take action. This shows that the captive display industry itself is now taking a stand against the cruel hunts in Japan,” said Trixie Concepcion, Regional Director of the Earth Island Institute Philippines.
“Facilities who continue to use dolphins for entertainment stimulate these hunts and spread mis-education with their continued display of these marine mammals. In fact they never hold discussions about the annual Taiji slaughter,” adds Concepcion, referring to marine parks such as Ocean Adventure in Subic, Philippines and the Marine Life Park of Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore. “Captivity continues to endanger their lives. Just take a look at the long list of marine mammal deaths in all these facilities.”
In most recent years, awareness has spread amongst the Japanese people propelling them to unite with cause-oriented organizations and to protest these killings.
“The Japanese people are rising up against these hunts and dolphin captivity.
More than ever, we are inspired to continue in this struggle as we see more and more people from Japan joining the actions right there in Taiji,” said Karl Ramirez, singer-composer and Earth Island Institute Philippines’ campaign officer.
Since the hunts started in 1969, other Japanese towns – Iki and Futo, have given up their drive hunts.
“We pledge our commitment to continue educating people on compassion for marine mammals as we battle this violent and greedy mindset that perpetuates their mass slaughter,” adds Ramirez. “We encourage you to learn more, watch documentaries about them such as The Cove and Blackfish.
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“We continue to call on the Japanese people to rise up against these cruel and unsustainable practice,” end Ramirez.
