On Thursday the ABC ran a story from Greenpeace entitled Greenpeace says whalers stealing meat
by North Asia correspondent Shane McLeod:
In Japan, environmental group Greenpeace says it has uncovered evidence of widespread theft of whale meat from the country’s scientific whaling program.
Greenpeace has intercepted a box of whale meat it says was illegally taken off the the whaling ship the Nisshin Maru by a member of its crew.
Spokesman Junichi Sato says the meat could be worth thousands of dollars on the black market.
“This is the valuable part of the whale,” he said.
“It’s made into whale meat bacon, which has a high value.”
The whalers responded with a media release ‘NISSHIN MARU CREW GIVEN WHALEMEAT FOR FAMILIES’:
Nisshin Maru crew members are given a certain amount of whalemeat to take home to their families, Kyodo Senpaku Kaisha in Tokyo, Japan, said today in response to Greenpeace Japan claims.
“The gifting of whalemeat to Nisshin Maru crew members is a time-honoured tradition in recognition of the hard work these men do spending many months a year away from their children and wives,” the President of Kyodo Senpaku, Mr Kazuo Yamamura, said today.
“Our sailors spend four months of the year away from their families and are attacked by environmental terrorists while working, so providing a gift of whalemeat for them on their return home is just a little extra we can do for these men.
“It is a sad day when Greenpeace denigrates our crew for being given a few kilos of whalemeat,” Mr Yamamura said.
Then the ABC reported in an article entitled Company accuses Greenpeace of whale meat theft on May 17, 2008, that it might have been Greenpeace who actually did the stealing:
A Japanese trucking company has told police that Greenpeace Japan has stolen whale meat, a day after the conservation group accused whalers of embezzlement.
Seino says a box of cargo was taken by Greenpeace from its branch office in the city of Aomori in north-east Japan.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
When we give a shearer a ration sheep (for meat) for his family, that’s not stealing. If someone then nicks it from the shearer, that’s stealing.
But Greenpeace do not steal. They ‘liberate’ in a good cause – virtuous corruption.
From what I understand and the media reports say, both claims are being investigated. As usual though it is all too easy for armchair critics to start tying a noose. More evidence that some don’t let facts get in the way of a good lynching.
Helen: “They ‘liberate’ in a good cause – virtuous corruption.”
I would still call that stealing, but then I’m not as polite as you are.
Thank you Jan. You understood me perfectly. Now we wait for Motty’s bloody shovel interpretation.
Travis,
Yes, both claims are being investigated.
In Greenpeace’s case, the police are now investigating due to the complaint from Seino, and Greenpeace have admitted that they did steal it (as well as intrude on private property etc). Greenpeace believes that they have done nothing wrong because they needed to collect “evidence” for their investigation.
As for the whalers, I’m not sure what the story is with the investigation of Greenpeace’s complaint, but the Ministry of Agriculture is investigating.
I expect that if any of the crew members have done any wrongdoing, they will be dealt with as is appropriate.
If Kyodo Senpaku has done anything inappropriate, I am sure the Ministry will deal with that appropriately.
I am also sure that the police will deal with Greenpeace appropriately. Perhaps they will get away with a fine, but prison sentences are also a possibility. However Greenpeace has completely blown the remains of any credibility it did have here, and I believe Hoshikawa will probably have no choice but to resign to take responsibility.
The man said “We had no choice but to take the box for our investigation. I am sorry if we have caused Seino any trouble”.
“I am sorry” is not sufficient if you are commiting crimes in Japan, and I imagine Australia, too.
An apology is possibly going to be due to the whaler as well, as they may have stolen (and eaten a portion of, apparently) property that lawfully belongs to him.
Hmm, virtuous corruption might also be called taxation.
PS – while Hoshikawa has given a brief apology in the media, no statement is yet to be found on Greenpeace Japan’s homepage.
The first press release on Greenpeace’s homepage regarding the incident is titled:
“Research whaling whale meat – embezzlement by crew uncovered”
Later that day, the nuance of their complaint had changed when they released their second press release titled:
“If it’s a ‘gift’, is it legal?”
First they claimed embezzlement, second they complain about a private company giving gifts to employees… Well you can just imagine how it’s going down here.
Some people entered premises unlawfully and removed property that was not theirs. They tried to justify their actions by accusing the lawful owners of the property of theft.
This would appear to be the standard modus operandi of lying, thieving, low life scum, would it not?
And the reports of a confession from the designated representative leave little room for doubt that Greenpeace is an organisation that can now rightfully be described as lying, thieving, criminal low life scum.
They have conspired to misrepresent the facts.
They have entered premises unlawfully.
They have stolen property
They have denied the property rights of others (fraudulent conversion)
They have defamed the ships crew and
They have made false accusations
By their deeds shall ye know them.
“Spokesman Junichi Sato says the meat could be worth thousands of dollars on the black market.
“This is the valuable part of the whale,” he said. “It’s made into whale meat bacon, which has a high value.”
Funny, wasn’t Greenpeace claiming that there was no market for whale meat and that it had to be given away? But now they want us to believe that there is a black market in which a few kilos is worth thousands of dollars, in a commodity that no-one wants?
“Spokesman Junichi Sato says the meat could be worth thousands of dollars on the black market.
“This is the valuable part of the whale,” he said. “It’s made into whale meat bacon, which has a high value.”
Funny, wasn’t Greenpeace claiming that there was no market for whale meat and that it had to be given away? But now they want us to believe that there is a black market in which a few kilos is worth thousands of dollars, in a commodity that no-one wants?
Pirate: – Thief, murderer, rapist.
Buccaneer: – Government sponsored Pirate
e.g. Why isn’t Paul Watson in Gaol?
Greenpeace seems to think it can have it’s cake and eat it too. How can it be stealing if no-one wants the whalemeat?
Oh and wouldn’t it be impossible to sell if there was no market?
(But that wouldn’t explain how 8000 tonnes of whalemeat was sold in the Japanese market for the 2007 calendar year! Oops)
Idiots!
“…Greenpeace is an organisation that can now rightfully be described as lying, thieving, criminal low life scum.”
Hi Ian,
I really thought “Flame Trees” was one of your best. Obviously you were in a mellower, more relfective mode when you penned this moving Australian classic.
RAOTFL!!! Thanks for the laugh Patrick!
Latest from Japan:
Kyodo Senpaku (KS) issued a provisional report regarding Greenpeace’s allegations. They report that the 23.5 kgs of meat identified by Greenpeace was not stolen / embezzled by the crew members.
According to KS, a 51 year old crew member had received the portions of meat gifted to 3 younger crew members in their 20s. This meat had been split into two boxes and shipped to his home. The transport company has reported one of these boxes as “stolen”.
KS gifts 10 kgs of meat to each crew member, and also the purchase of up to 3.2 kgs extra. He had received 8 kgs of unesu himself, plus 24 kgs from his young workmates. The 3 younger workmates have all affirmed that they gave their gift to their senior crew member.
We’ll hear more though I’m sure.
So each crew member got less than the weight of a standard slab of beer. (worth thousands on the black market, you know) True waterfront intrigue at its most lurid, don’t you think?
What surprises me most is that the clowns at Greenpimp were actually capable of lifting 23.5kg. These people couldn’t work up a sweat in a bathtub full of yeast. Are they sure there wasn’t two activists involved? Or maybe more?
GreenThieves Japan are almost in full reverse now.
They told media today that they had apologised to Seino saying “we are sorry if we have caused you trouble”.
Regarding the charge of theft, they say “it is not up to us to make judgments on the legality of our actions. We would like to cooperate with the police and prosecutors”.
Last Thursday they had claimed that their actions weren’t illegal. As above, that claim is gone now and they suddenly seem to be finding some semblance of humility.
However, still no apology offered to the crew member whose whale meat gifts and other belongings were stolen.
Seino is under pressure to see the charges against GreenThieves through, as another incident at the company saw customer information leaked, and a public apology issued. The security of their delivery services is now obviously in question. I don’t think they will decide to settle for “sorry if we caused you trouble” under these circumstances.
No apology or change of course can yet be seen from GreenThieves Japan’s homepage though.
What a classic. “it is not up to us to make judgments on the legality of our actions”.
Hang on there, isn’t it the responsibility of each of us to judge the legality of our own actions?
So now Greenpimps is demonstrating that it lacks the basic moral compass that we expect of all citizens to act within the law. Is this an organisation of moral five year olds? Who have yet to figure out where their right to swing their arm ends and little billy’s nose begins?
This is no surprise given that two of their apologists on this blog, Patrick and Travis, could only bring themselves to respond to an implied tone in my above post, not the substance of confessed lies and criminality it contained.
I didn’t respond to your above post at all Mott!
Yeah, right, a post reinforcing someone else’s response does not amount to a response to the same post? You guys really have an extraordinary capacity for self delusion, don’t you?
Whatever Mott, you are not one for letting truth get in the way of your POV. LOL!
Lopes off, knuckles dragging, muttering dark oaths.
Today at the request of the public prosecutors, GP Japan has submitted the stolen whale meat to them.
I’m still confused why GreenThieves say they aren’t the ones to judge the legality of their own actions but believe they are equipped to judge the legality of the actions of others.
Its easy, David, you smoke nine cones a day for 15 years and it all makes perfect sense. Gratuitous planet salvation is the prime form of palliative treatment for urban angst and substance abuse. Its just another day in Dumbturdistan.
Silly me Ian 🙂
It’s reported today in the Japanese media that Australia isn’t going to take Japan to court over whaling in the Antarctic – well at least (purportedly) for the time being – in deference to efforts to resolve the dispute bi-laterally and multi-laterally.
Damn those international agreements that have been adhered to but contradict national policy, huh?
Keeping the option of legal action open is no doubt for future electioneering purposes.
It was always pure posturing, David. These guys have sufficient rat cunning to understand that the jurisdictional issues are a quagmire that they must not enter. Besides, they are getting much more spin out of the ambiguity than they ever will from an injection of legal clarity.
The Japanese need a strategy of stepping up the scale and intensity of actions so that Rudd is left with no choice but to go to court. And make sure those actions maximise the number of extant issues (legal minefields) that can be resolved once it gets to court. There is no point in frying just one fish after all the trouble of warming up the Barbecue.
A few Minkes and a Humpback for the Burmese cyclone victims would also not go astray.
Looks like there has been some movement on the Iceland+Norway vs Japan whale meat trade issue.
Just wait for the “environmental” groups morph into health experts now as they warn the Japanese consumers off “toxic” imported whale meat, and urge pressure on companies involved in shipments.
Yes, it does look like there has been some movement.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7431568.stm
No need to pick up on the ‘toxic’ meat aspect, the pro-whalers seem like they can generate their own negative publicity.
News broke here in Japan today that prosecutors found no wrong-doing, and they are not going to be prosecuting any of the whalers that GPJ accused of meat embezzlement.
However, police are apparently continuing to investigate GPJ’s snatching the whale meat from the transportation company.
Today, two GPJ members have been arrested on suspicion of theft and intruding on property, police are reported to have determined the theft basically be organized crime.
“Aomori police are investigating, believing the theft of the meat to have been organized by “Greenpeace Japan”, and carried out by two of it’s members.”