During the annual drive hunt season alone, thousands are killed or captured, making Japan responsible for the direct killing of the largest number of cetaceans anywhere in the world. Studies reveal that meat obtained from these animals which is on sale to the Japanese public and included in the lunch packs for children is contaminated with toxic chemicals and that repeated consumption of this can have serious health consequences.
These hunts are sustained by continued demand by marine parks which pay large amounts of money for live animals to re-stock their facilities and are no longer a question of tradition or sustainability; therefore I call on Japan to act to put an end to this as a matter of urgency.
