February 7, 2008

Greenpeace: Whaling to hurt Japanese economy

TOKYO, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Greenpeace Japan sent a letter on Monday to two Japanese economic organizations, pointing out that whaling is to hurt the country's economy.

At a time when whaling gets more and more attention, Japan's insisted whaling activities in spite of international opposition is tarnishing the country's image and may arouse boycott of its products among consumers around the world, the environment-protection body said in the letter.

Whaling may also wage a negative influence on the economic partnership negotiation between Japan and Australia, and baffle Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Olympics, the letter said.

Greenpeace Japan said whaling is incurring risks beyond Japan's imagination. It called on the two economic organizations to make clear their anti-whaling stand for the well-being of Japanese enterprises.

TOKYO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed on Friday with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to properly deal with the two countries' dispute over whaling so as to maintain the overall bilateral relations.

Japan has always been claiming that its whaling program is for scientific purpose and the world whale populations could afford a limited catch. It kills about 1,000 whales annually. According to the Japanese agriculture, forestry and fishery ministry, Japan's original hunting target for this year was 1,035 whales, 50 precious humpbacks included.

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