Please fax the following Japanese officials:

(Prefix from the UK 00)

GOVERNMENT, TOKYO

Japan Fisheries Agency (Fax: +81-3-3502-0794)

Mr. Yoshiyuki Kamei - Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (Fax: +81-3-3502-8220)

Mr. Junichiro Koizumi - Prime Minister of Japan (Fax: +81-3-3581-3883)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WAKAYAMA/TAIJI

Fisheries Section of Wakayama prefecture (Fax: +81-73-431-2244)

Mr. Yoshiki Kimura - Governor of Wakayama (Fax: +81-73-423-9500)

Taiji Fishery Cooperative (Fax: +81-735-59-2821)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SHIZUOKA/FUTO

Fisheries Section of Shizuoka prefecture (Fax: +81-54-221-3288)

Mr. Yoshinobu Ishikawa - Governor of Shizuoke prefecture (Fax: +81-54-221-2164)

Ito Fishing Cooperative (Fax: +81-557-35-0756)

Despite The Marine Connection's repeated requests to meet with the Japanese Ambassador in London to discuss the situation, to date we have not had the courtesy of a reply, therefore please also fax or email :

Ambassador Masaki Orita : Japanese Embassy, London

Fax: 020 7491 9347 or email: info@embjapan.org.uk

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear

RE: Japanese Drive Fisheries

I write to ask that immediate action be taken to put a stop to these destructive fisheries, which operate along the coastline of Japan annually. This plea is made on a global environmental and humane level. These hunts have been a way of life in Japan for centuries, and are still carried out in the name of tradition, however there is certainly no honour in any 'tradition' that removes animals from the wild and subjects them to suffering, death or a lifetime of captivity, merely to supply marine parks in Japan and around the world, in the name of entertainment.

It has been documented that the capture and culling process is exceptionally violent, with many captures including young calves, nursing mothers and pregnant females. It would be in Japan's economical, environmental and international interests to call a halt to these captures as, in the long term, it would prove more financially viable to promote good dolphin and whale watching practices in the wild than to continue this cruel and outdated capture simply to supply the captivity industry. The argument against the sustainability of these captures is simple. The continued take of dolphins (and small whales) from the wild will greatly interfere with reproduction rates, and if wild stocks decline then there will come a day when there will be no small whales or dolphins left in Japanese waters.

Apart from the captured animals which are taken for marine parks, there is also concern regarding the continued consumption of dolphin or whale meat which is still encouraged despite the fact that it is seriously contaminated with heavy metals, PCBs and other toxic substances, making it unsuitable for human consumption. Why is this still allowed?

Public outrage at this continued slaughter will only escalate as more information becomes available, therefore I appeal to you to stop these hunts, which are destructive to the wild marine mammals in Japanese waters and the environment and look forward to your reply in this regard.

Yours sincerely