Japan’s foreign policy: Two-faced, sinister and callous

Japan’s foreign aid programme is aimed at buying support to continue the cruel and inhumane practice of whaling, in which dolphins and porpoises are often the victims

Photo: Japan’s foreign policy: Two-faced, sinister and callous

Most people in most countries around the world get a buzz out of watching and hearing dolphins playing happily and most people in most countries are interested in hearing stories about how intelligent they and and how they often help humans in trouble at sea.

Not so, apparently, the Japanese who couldn’t care less whether or not a dolphin is snared during a whaling operation, in which explosive grenades are fired into these mammals which are then hauled up by their tails and hacked to bits, gasping for air. Experts claim that these animals suffer extreme distress and panic during the slaughter process which can take up to half an hour.

Isn’t this illegal? For the time being. However, by linking ODA (Official Development Aid) to favourable votes in the International Whaling Commission, Japan managed to get a 33-32 vote in favour of halting commercial whaling. This in itself is not enough to change the law (a three quarters decision is needed) but it is a dangerous first step and reveals the callous and sinister nature of Japan’s two-faced foreign policy.

Nations like the Gambia, Togo, Cambodia, Mali and the Marshall islands were persuaded into voting in favour of Japan’s proposal in their first appearance at the IWC, after receiving substantial ODA.

Japan insists on its right to slaughter up to 1.000 whales a year for scientific research, including endangered species.

We saw the ugly head of Japanese cruelty reared in its concentration camps in the Second World War. It appears that old habits die hard. Let Japan keep its friends in Togo and Mali and the Marshall isles and let the rest of the world boycott anything Japanese.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY

PRAVDA.Ru