Job Discussion Forums

[malcoml]

Monday July 18, 08:59 PM


Japan 'bought Solomons whaling votes'

Former senior Solomon Islands officials have claimed Japan paid fees and fisheries costs for years in exchange for the country's vote for a return to commercial whaling.

The ABC's Four Corners program quoted Solomons officials as saying Japan expected nothing in return for the aid assistance other than a pro-whaling vote at the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

The Solomons had earlier promised Australia it would vote against Japan's contentious scientific whaling proposals and to abstain from a vote for commercial whaling at the IWC.

But the Solomons IWC delegate ultimately reneged on its promise and voted for a resumption of commercial whaling at the IWC meeting at Ulsan, Korea, earlier this month.

Japan has been persistently accused for years by environmental groups, among others, of using aid to sign up small countries to the IWC and ensure their votes.

But the accusations have been hard to prove and Japan has denied the charge.

Japan failed to win enough support at the IWC but has vowed to continue its contentious so-called scientific whaling.

Two former Solomons IWC commissioners told Four Corners that Japan paid for all costs associated with IWC meetings for years.

"Yes, the Japanese pay the government subscriptions. They support the delegations to the meetings, in terms of meeting air fares and per diem (daily costs)," former Solomon Islands IWC Commissioner Albert Wata told the program.

He said Japan wanted the Solomons government to support its position on the IWC.

Fisheries Minister Nelson Kile, who led the Solomons IWC delegation for the past three years, told the program the Japanese paid the Solomons membership fees, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars over years.

"Yes they do (pay the fees). I'm not really sure but probably for 10 years I think," Mr Kile told the program.

The program said that just two days after Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell visited the Solomons and was assured of its vote for Australia's anti-whaling stance, Solomons Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza did a backflip.

He wrote a letter to the Japanese embassy in Honiara saying he would now support Japan's proposal for scientific whaling, according to Tione Bugotu, the permanent secretary of the Solomons' Fisheries Department.

"What I am aware of is that the prime minister has actually made very clear to the Embassy of Japan that the Solomon Islands will continue to support a reasonable number of whales to be killed for the purpose of scientific research," Mr Bugotu was quoted as saying.

While declining to comment directly on the bribery claims, a spokeswoman for Senator Campbell said Australia would continue to push for a permanent ban on commercial and scientific whaling, using "sensible, diplomatic means".

"Australia is working with core pro-conservation nations on a long term strategy to achieve our goal and protect whales for future generations," the spokeswoman said.

"We realise that this task will get harder, not easier, in the lead up to the next IWC meeting in St Kitts in 2006."

But Labor accused the government of being asleep at the wheel for nine years while Japan stacked the IWC.

Opposition environment spokesman Anthony Albanese said the government must act immediately to take Japan to the International Court of Justice.

Japan has announced that this summer its whaling boats will double their scientific kill of minke whales to more than 935 and include 50 humpback and fin whales.

[PAULH]

What does this have to do with language teaching and living in Japan? Whats your point by posting here? We get this stuff in the newspaper every day.

[malcoml]

I'm sure there are a number of people who care for world conservation, even teaching in Japan.

[SEndrigo]

hahaha, don't worry Paul, he's just trying to stir up trouble again....I wonder if he's ever had a positive thing to say about Japan? or all just doom and gloom?

Japan must be terrible for its whaling...but not Australia, with its poor treatment of Aboriginals and locking up foreigners.

Japan is one big cesspool of immorality isn't it !

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

Just curious Malcolm.....what is it?....I may have forgotten your history...or maybe you never said it. But why the anti-japan?

Anyhow....you kind of restore balance to the universe kind of thing. We need you, Malcolm baby! Go baby yeah!!

Yeah....whales doesn't seem to have much to do with ESL. But.....directly....a LOT of things in this forum doesn't have anything to do with ESL. Probably most.

I dunno.....I'm Australian. I've seen the 'bad treatment of aboriginals and locking up of foreigners' ammunition against Australia a bit on this forum.....

Anyhow........Malcolm is part of the 'plethora' of people in this world, especially the east asian region, who has trouble trusting and/or liking Japan.

I hated the anti-japan stuff in Korea........but sometimes I think, where there's smoke, there's fire. Even like with our racism discussions about Japan. We probably wouldn't be having them if it didn't exist in a fairly.....plentiful, insipid....and prominent way. (ahh...just thinking of adjectives, ya know)

You know what I mean. There's a reason why a lot of people have trouble with Japan. Maybe wrong or right, but it is there. Worth a good discussion.....

Nonetheless, Japan is a very unique and interesting country.....with an indiginous people....who sort of seem...to have been....never even heard of by most of the world, and forgotten by many Japanese. The Ainu.

I showed.....a Japanese person I know.....a picture of Ainu people last week. Before that, they had never seen the Ainu people, picture or anything. A bit of a worry methinks. Off-topic!...sorry...see ya....just saying stuff.

[JimDunlop2]

I'm going to threadjack here.... (But only because this post itself is a forum-jack).

Paul: Seeing the general propensity towards non-teaching-related topics, not that there's necessarily anything evil about that, what are the chances of setting up a new Japan Off-Topic forum here on Dave's??

[malcoml]

[markle]

In many ways the whaling issue is no more or less relevant than the 'racism' brouhaha, (malcomtent's obvious agenda aside)

I wish the Australian gov't put as much effort into other fisheries related issues.