Japan Accused of Whaling Bribery

Japan accused of whaling bribery

Japan has got around the ban by arguing that its whale hunt is for scientific research [EPA] A British newspaper has alleged that Japan bribed small nations with cash and prostitutes to gain support to overturn an international ban on commercial whaling. The Sunday Times said it had evidence suggesting that six countries including Grenada and Ivory Coast were willing to sell their votes at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), in return for favours. Japan has denied the claims, with its foreign ministry issuing a statement saying: "The government of Japan does not cover any cost of any other IWC member countries related to the IWC". The other countries named by the paper are St Kitts and Nevis, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Guinea. The newspaper said officials from these countries admitted they voted with the pro-whaling grouping because of the aid they received from Japan, or because they were given cash or call-girls. Sting operation The sting was conducted ahead of a meeting of the IWC in Morocco this month at which Japan is expected to push its case for allowing more whaling. Undercover reporters posing as representatives of a Swiss billionaire conservationist approached officials from pro-whaling countries and offered them an aid package to switch their vote. During their negotiations, the officials revealed the reasons for supporting Japan. The IWC proposal would allow Japan, Norway and Iceland to hunt a set quota of whales despite the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling. Japan gets around the ban on commercial whaling by arguing that it harpoons hundreds of whales each year for scientific research.