Atrocity in Taiji.

Taiji, Japan is located on the eastern shore of Wakayama Prefecture. The coastal area there is stunning in its beauty, but unfortunately is tainted by the blood and suffering of thousands upon thousands of dolphins and other small cetaceans. There is evidence that whale and dolphin hunting has occurred in the area for centuries. What is new though is the “drive hunting.”

Just a mask in front the truth.

The authorities in Taiji and Wakayama would like for you to believe that this form of hunting is just as ancient, but that simply is not true. The drive hunt was developed in the 1970s. It is not even as old as most of the men who practice it. Humans like to make a big deal about “culture” and old customs. Japan is particularly attached to this ideal. However, just because a practice has been going on for a long time does not make it right neither does it give it special status to continue doing that awful action if it is found to be wrong. In the case of the hunting of cetaceans though, there is not even a legitimate claim to antiquity. To claim it is cultural is a lie.

Only a few countries today allow the commercial killing of cetaceans. Countries that were once major whaling nations have ended the practice. Iceland, Norway, the Danish Faroe Islands, and Japan continue to practice the cetacean hunting. Japan is the country that has more numbers of cetacean deaths. The nation of Japan sends commercial whaling fleets into the North Pacific and Southern Ocean each year. Japan also authorizes and supports the hunting of whales and smaller cetaceans in its coastal waters.

Numbers

As many as 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are killed in Japanese waters each year. Most (18,000 of that number) are Dall’s porpoises killed at sea by harpoon in the northern part of the country.

In recent years, the killed and captured numbers as reported by the fishermen have been averaging about 1,600. The killing season is actually 12 months long, beginning on September 1. Usually, the drive-hunts end in March and the fishermen target other species. This year (September 2011 – August 2012) the Taiji FU has a permitted quota for 2,165 dolphins and other small whales.

The actual numbers each year vary. 20,000 are on the high end. 

• Bottlenose dolphin – 652
• Striped Dolphin – 450
• Spotted Dolphin – 400
• Risso’s Dolphin – 275
• Long-finned Pilot Whale – 184
• Pacific White-sided Dolphin – 134
• False Killer Whale – 70.

They have a permission to kill?

The Fishermen’s Union (FU) will submit a request for a permit to the Governor of Wakayama Prefecture. The Governor then issues the permit. There is no evidence that is given any serious consideration in the permit process. It appears that the FU simply tells the Governor what it wants to take and the Governor give the permit.