The city of Nago in Okinawa prefecture of Japan recently turned the clock back 20 years by commencing dolphin hunting again. Nago hunted dolphins 20 years ago but stopped after receiving bad publicity over the practice – much as Taiji does today.

However, a small percentage of fishermen still retain licences to kill dolphins (six boats in total), and a few days ago when around 100 dolphins appeared off Nago Bay, the six boats set out to sea and drove the dolphins into the bay, where they were slaughtered.

This is a sad reflection on Japan’s attitude towards the continued and rising international condemnation of drive hunts in the country. The Marine Connection has addressed this with authorities in Japan and urges you to support the campaign by writing to the authorities in Nago advising them that you will not visit Japan (and in particular Okinawa) or purchase Japanese goods until the hunt is abolished.

The fishermen’s annual capture/kill quota allowed by Okinawa prefecture currently is:

9 Bottlenose dolphins
92 Short-finned pilot whales
20 False killer whales

Take Action

Please write today, tell Japan that the world will not sit back and allow another drive hunt to recommence in the country.

Yoshikazu Shimabukuro
Mayor of Nago City
Okinawa Prefecture
email

Governor Hirokazu Nakaima
Naha City
Okinawa Prefecture
email

Mario Ginama
Executive Administrator of Okinawa Tourist Office
Okinawa Prefecture Tourism and Culture Office
email

Please email the charity copies of any response you receive. Thank you.