KOROR (Palau Horizon) — The government of Japan has expressed concern about the recent campaign initiated by Greenpeace International “attacking” Palau for not supporting the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary during the International Whaling Commission meeting held in Japan.
Greenpeace has alleged “vote-buying practices” involving the Fisheries Agency of Japan.
“We haven’t done anything like vote buying,” the Japanese embassy here said. “We have been supporting Palau and it is their decision not to vote. We don’t want to kill whales. We just want to discuss the issue based on scientific research and data.”
Greenpeace’s campaign may hurt Palau’s tourism industry, the Japanese embassy said. It did not elaborate.
Greenpeace, in a media release, criticized Palau for not supporting the whale sanctuary proposal.
Greenpeace said other Pacific island countries “frustrated at the politics and vote buying in the IWC” have proposed to set up national sanctuaries.
Greenpeace reported that the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary was rejected by a 16 to 24 vote with the Solomon Islands and four other member nations abstaining.
The IWC was established in 1948 to implement the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which was formulated in 1946 to ensure the conservation of the whale species and the orderly development of the whaling industry. Japan joined the IWC in 1951.
