Japan says it regrets release of anti-whaling activist Watson

He is a troublemaker and should be punished

well a shame... good things naver last long

It's actually quite hilarious to see Japan's so-called "justice system" humiliated on the global stage as crazy ol' captain Watson walks free. Their attempt to extradite a man for defending marine life from barbaric slaughter shows just how deeply their government is in the pocket of the whaling industry. Sorry, J-Gov Inc., but the world doesn't bow to your outdated, eco-destroying traditions or your sham legal system. Bravo to Denmark for standing up to this nonsense and well done to Watson on his vital work.

what a joke Demark! So a pirate gets freed! Hey Demark you’re a damn joke

its the whalers that should be jailed

eco-destroying traditions 

Do you came with that sentence by your own??

It sure it sound so, because I doubt you really understand the situation and position of Japan regarding several environmental protection matters (that includes the sea environment). In fact many informaton that internatiional organisation use related to sea protection and eco system comes from Japanese research.

... but then again, the stance people like you have comes from "whale intelligent as I, me don't eat meat, meat is evil" or something of that sort

This article touches upon an important aspect of this saga that was largely overlooked, especially by the "hang Watson up by his ankles" mob who were insisting he needed to face "justice" in Japan, without a hint of irony, knowing full well he would face anything but.

There was an absence of an extradition treaty - but the elephant in the room was the incompatibility of Japan's legal system with EU law.

While certain quarters trumpeted it was an agreement between Japan and Denmark, but that ignored one basic fact: Denmark, as a member of the EU, is bound by their laws. When you join that bloc, a country cedes part of its sovereignty; this was the fundamental point many completely missed - it wasn't Denmark's call alone.

Sure, Copenhagen could have just blown it off, extradited him but then there would be repercussions in Brussels (that's how that organization works). Because, as the article mentions, Macron took a personal interest - which explains much - because essentially Paris has the final say on foreign policy (Berlin controls the purse strings).

Imagine Macron having to explain to the Paris establishment social scene over champagne and hors d'oeuvre how he'd allowed their buddy to be extradited (refer to previous article for photo of significant public support for Watson) and worse - he'd never have lived it down. His French lawyer François Zimeray is a former prominent politician (in France and EU), ambassador to Denmark and continent-wide plugged in guy.

Suspect Denmark was never too keen on it, and even some non-EU states such as Canada, probably contacted discretely counselling against. This was never going to be a starter as Watson had too many friends in the EU and in high places.

Justice has been served. Get over it Japan. Japan doesn't know what justice is. The courts do whatever their political or gangster paymasters tell them to do. I agree with the commenter above. The whalers should be jailed for their crimes against nature.

As JJE indicated - incompatibility with Denmark/EU law.

From AP world news -

The Danish Justice Ministry said in a statement that the conditions for extradition were met, but it had not received adequate guarantees from Japanese authorities that the time Watson had already served in custody would be counted against any sentence he would receive in Japan.

The ball was in Japan's court but they hit it into the net.

I’m so happy that Denmark, a Rule of Law nation, took the time to appropriately gather evidence and reach a proper decision.

Ecoterrorist get a free pass this time...

"We will now have to challenge the red notice and the Japanese arrest warrant, to ensure that Captain Paul Watson can once again travel the world in complete peace of mind, and never experience a similar episode again," Tamalet said.

Mentioned this in the previous article - the red notice is still active, and it is not actually an arrest warrant in itself (I.E. totally separate from the Japanese arrest warrant).

This saga raises broader questions about the use of Interpol notices in cases involving political or environmental activism, blurring the line between legitimate law enforcement and politically motivated persecution.

Ecoterrorist get a free pass this time...

He committed no terrorist acts against the ecosystem.

It was against whalers, who commit acts against the ecosystem.

Glad to help you out

browny1Today  05:28 pm JST

Fair enough and worthy to point out. Slammed into the net in that case.

Also fair to assume that statement was more of consolation prize. A face-saving excuse for everyone.

Keep in mind the court process would have gone to Denmark itself in appeals, if not Strasbourg (ECHR) - but that was never going to happen once Macron got on the horn to Copenhagen.

I'm not usually into conspiracy theories, but I reckon something's being hidden from us here.

My guess is that this all happened because Japan insisted on sending their extradition request by fax, and Denmark was like "we stopped using those 30 years ago and there are no functioning machines left in the country".

I think after the world saw how CG was treated by the Japanese, and then saw how those who helped him escape were treated, they cottoned on that justice doesn't have the same meaning in Japan. Extraditions are not going to happen as fast or as easily as in the pre-CG era.

This video probably didn't help Japan's case:

https://youtu.be/anXPPTk-jY8?si=uMNVqD_rXTScyQPF

Do you came with that sentence by your own??

It sure it sound so, because I doubt you really understand the situation and position of Japan regarding several environmental protection matters (that includes the sea environment). In fact many informaton that internatiional organisation use related to sea protection and eco system comes from Japanese research.

... but then again, the stance people like you have comes from "whale intelligent as I, me don't eat meat, meat is evil" or something of that sort

Sure, let's talk about that “research,” which conveniently involves harpooning whales under the guise of science and then selling their meat in markets. If Japan's whaling industry is the pinnacle of environmental stewardship to you, then I suppose dumping radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean is just a "cleansing ritual."

And no, my stance isn't some vegan fairy tale about whale intelligence - I'm a meat eater who knows the difference between ecologically sustainable, ethical hunting and slaughtering endangered species to prop up a dying, unnecessary industry.

Now Denmark proved itself to be a country that condones and even encourages acts of terrorism on the high seas by releasing the dangerous criminal who never hides his intention to resume attacks on Japanese whalers. Danes should be responsible for any damage this old idiot causes to Japanese ships, crew and other property.

Jay

I am not necesary refering to only whale research but in general the overall ECOSYSTEM of the sea...as the word cleary states it. Just to be sure, when ecosystem is used, we are talking about the entire system that includes goes from the minerals. phytoplacton to the macro fauna (whales mostly) in the sea, not only talking about one particular speacies or order (in the scientific sense just in case).

As for the "radioactive water" as you mentioned. please refear to the multiple reports and research done by the IAEA https://www.iaea.org/topics/response/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-accident/fukushima-daiichi-alps-treated-water-discharge/reports

"Ethical hunting and slaugthering".... hahahaha ethical from the point of view of whom? the humans? Ethics comes form the morals, which differ from person to person, from culture to culture.... and I assume from spieces to spieces. So the "etchical hunting and slaugthering" is form the ethical point of view of humans not the animal being sacrificed for eating. That is a "feel good" wording and nothing more.

But, I do give you points that, to choose to sacrifise the animals to be eating in a manner less stressful from them... that way the meat taste better

@The_Beagle

The video you pointed is in line with international procedures as counter meassures agains piracy and attacks violent attacks in open waters.

“ I'm a meat eater who knows the difference between ecologically sustainable, ethical hunting and slaughtering endangered species to prop up a dying, unnecessary industry.”

Jay, would you have no qualms about killing and eating whales if they were not endangered species?

The LDP goes to extreme lengths to help a few hundred aging whalers found in the boonies of Ishikawa, Wakayama and a few other places I suppose. Japanese taxpayers pay for the ships and subsidies.

Jay, would you have no qualms about killing and eating whales if they were not endangered species?

Great question and thank you for the opportunity to share.

The answer is no, because a hunter can dispatch a deer with a single shot, resulting in an almost instantaneous death with minimal to pain. Harpooning a whale on the other hand is off-the-charts inhumane due to the their massive size and complex anatomy, as well as the fact that whales endure prolonged agony, sometimes lasting hours, as they bleed out or suffocate. This level of suffering is 100% ethically unacceptable to me regardless of whales' conservation status.

> Ethical hunting and slaugthering".... hahahaha ethical from the point of view of whom? the humans? Ethics comes form the morals, which differ from person to person, from culture to culture.... and I assume from spieces to spieces. So the "etchical hunting and slaugthering" is form the ethical point of view of humans not the animal being sacrificed for eating. That is a "feel good" wording and nothing more.

No mate, ethical hunting and slaughtering are not "feel-good" concepts... they're standards rooted in our culture with an emphasis on minimizing unnecessary suffering.

Reducing pain and respecting nature should transcend your nihilistic "anything goes" approach, otherwise, by your logic, we should abandon all standards and let barbarism reign because "it’s just a matter of perspective." Ridiculous.

As someone else usually says at this point - their country, their rules! GO GO DENMARK!

Japan says it regrets release of anti-whaling activist Watson

Tough. Go and have a big sulk about it.

Bit off topic, but If we're talking about the ethics of whale hunting, etc. then really the only people who can comment objectively and without hypocrisy are vegetarians and vegans. Killing an animal "nicely" and killing it "not nicely" both involve killing. Given that there seems to be a general agreement that the strongest urge in any living thing is to survive, then it seems sort of bizarre to argue that killing this way is better than killing that way. I doubt the animal thus killed appreciates the finer points of debate...

As someone else usually says at this point - their country, their rules! GO GO DENMARK!

Too right. LOOOOOOL!

Watson got arrested while he was on his way to obstruct Japanese whaling in the north Pacific.

However, "Japan eventually halted its hunts in the Antarctic and North Pacific and since 2019 has only caught whales in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone."

So Watson is now free to Charlie Mike and get arrested by the Japan Coast Guard.

Sadly, the Japanese government will probably respond by increasing whaling subsidies.

Watson is a environmental extremist, willing to resort to extremism, violent unlawful acts of intimidation against civilians.

Watsons agenda/terrorism has clear political aims.

Like all terrorists hunt Watson down.