Harassment of Japanese Whale Research Vessels by an NGO Group
February 6, 2009
Japanese
On February 6 (Fri), Mr. Nobuhide Minorikawa, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, made a strong request to Dr. Phillip De Heer, Dutch Ambassador to Japan, and the outline of the conversations is as follows:
- On February 6 at 16:00, Mr. Minorikawa, Parliamentary Vice-Minister
for Foreign Affairs, told Ambassador De Heer, Ambassador of The Netherlands,
the country where the Steve Irwin, the vessel belonging to the Sea Shepherd
Conservation Society, is registered, that it was deplorable that dangerous
acts of sabotage accompanied by violence had again been perpetrated on Japanese
whale research vessels. Japan requested The Netherlands, as the responsible
flag state, to take appropriate measures to halt the Sea Shepherd organization’s
harassment.
- In response to these demands, Ambassador De Heer said that the recurrence
of such actions was regrettable and that he would promptly convey to his
country the demands made on that day.
- Mr. Minorikawa and the ambassador agreed to maintain cooperation, including exchange of information on the evidence of such activities in order to prevent actions that risk human life at sea.
(END)
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