06/27/07 A Protest Note to the Ambassador of Japan
EMBASSY OF JAPAN
His Excellency Mr Tetsuhisa Shirakawa
Josipa Rudjera Boskovica 2
10000 Zagreb
June 27, 2007
Your Excellency,
We are writing to you on the occasion of World Whale and Dolphin Day, which will be celebrated on June 30 this year for the first time in United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, USA, and Croatia, with the aim of abolishing the capturing and slaughter of sea mammals.
Since we are aware of the fact that Japan has based a part of its economy on whaling and dolphin hunt, we would like to use this opportunity to make an appeal to the authorities in your country that Japan should discontinue this practice. We are of the opinion that your country should build its reputation on respecting the lives of these intelligent creatures.
Today, threats to dolphins and whales are huge and varied caused by fishing net entanglement, captivity, whaling, industrial pollution of the oceans, and military use of intense sonar waves, all known to harm and even kill cetaceans. For this reason, Animal Friends has welcomed the initiative of celebrating World Whale and Dolphin Day.
Therefore, we entreat you to take our appeal into consideration and prohibit the slaughtering of dolphins by Japanese fisheries and trading with live dolphins for captivity industry, both in Japan and abroad.
In hope that these few lines will meet with your sincere understanding and interest, we are looking forward to Japan’s first steps undertaken in order to protect these magnificent animals.
With best regards,
Luka Oman
President
Animal Friends
