crime

Watson accuses Japan of coercing other countries to demand his arrest

57 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

57 Comments
Login to comment

“If we don’t save the seas, we will not be able to save ourselves,” he said. “If the ocean dies, we will die.

does anyone believe this tripe? his needs a refresher course on the use of logic.

-17 ( +17 / -33 )

love him or hate him, one thing is true, passive protesting like what greenpeace do doesnt produce any results whatsover, "it only the in your face" approach that SS do that produce results and saves marine wildlife, the 1000s of whales that havnt been killed over the years is proof of that. chanting "go home whalers, stop killing the whales" from the deck of a ship isnt going to stop the slaughter.

-1 ( +19 / -20 )

Japan is using their donationation money to twist their Opinion in their favour,but so far have failed miserably!

-6 ( +12 / -18 )

Rather than accusing countries, etc he should be defending himself in court.

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

does anyone believe this tripe? his needs a refresher course on the use of logic.

I believe it. Our future does depend largely on sustainable ocean ecosystems.

4 ( +21 / -17 )

Compare that picture to this JT headline from November 7: "Anti-whaling activist Watson tells U.S. court: 'We're not pirates'"

0 ( +7 / -7 )

I think the SS needs a new logo. Would love to see a trial in France, France are very anti big business and that is all that whaling is for Japan.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

“I don’t understand why I find myself listed alongside assassins and terrorists just because I want to save some whales,” the former Greenpeace activist said.

His frisson of excitement at being listed with assassins and terrorists is almost palpable. Yeah, Paul, you're a regular Che Guevara.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

You guys should see the episode of South Park where they made fun of this guy to death, that was funny as hell, "Whale whore" LOLOL!!

-2 ( +13 / -15 )

"...France as he can expect a fair trial in the country."

But he couldn't expect fair treatment from Germany? Is Germany somehow beholden to Costa Rica?

5 ( +10 / -5 )

If you're afraid of the dips, don't get on the roller coaster.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

anti big business and that is all that whaling is for Japan.

and a big dose of pride

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Our future does depend largely on sustainable ocean ecosystems.

But that's NOT what the SS believe. Otherwise they wouldn't have the issues with the Japanese. Removing 1000 Minke whales from 515,000 is sustainable.

-2 ( +14 / -16 )

Heda-madness - You say it is sustainable. I say removing one whale from a population of 500,00 is too many. Japan does not need to hunt whales. How is 'national pride' a relative argument? Furthermore, Japan has manipulated many counties to gain votes in the IWC and to get this case brought back from ten years ago.

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

I say sustainaable

I say removing one whale from a population of 500,00 is too many.

Removing one whale from a population of over 500,000 is clearly sustainable.

Japan does not need to hunt whales. How is 'national pride' a relative argument

It's certainly not an argument about sustainability. Which is the purpose of the IWC and which the previous poster had commented on. If you wish to address the points I make then please do so. But don't add random irrational thoughts to muddy the water.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

Cowardly little whalers accuse a champion of being a terrorist!!! hope he can somehow get over this!!!

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

It's not really the whale meat that is the primary objective. It's the fish the whales eat that is desired in the big picture. Making sure the whale meat doesn't go to waste is I think what separates these whalers from Australians who kill kangaroos for pest control (I understand this meat is sometimes used in dog food and soccer shoes). So this might not be a good example. But i don't understand why the news doesn't make a fuss first about North Americans who kill Big game but only keep the horns, or kill wolves from helicopters so they have a better hunting season before they get angry at people who are using the whole animal. I would be mad if these were endangered whales, but there is a lot more than 500,000 of them in the southern ocean. But don't take my word for it, let's wait to see what the IWC reports this year on minke whale population, a whale that has NEVER been put on the endangered list. A whale that competes with the still endangered Blue whale for breeding grounds. A whale dubbed the cockroaches of the sea.

Please realize the countries that confront Japan the most on this issue also happen to be the countries that export beef to Japan. There are market forces driving things here. Many people who are anti-whaling in these countries aren't even concerned for the whales, just their bottom line. But I suppose even that is forgivable compared to those members of the Makah tribe that make a fuss over their cultural right to restart hunting grey whales, but don't bother to learn how to dress the whale after the hunt. You break it you buy it. You kill it, you use / eat it... All of it!!

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

Wah, wah, wah, . . . . .

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

If you're afraid of the dips, don't get on the roller coaster.

That's the point. He isn't afraid. He has more courage than any whaler.

-6 ( +7 / -12 )

I'm really surprised one of these wailing vessels hasn't been armed, or a private defense company hasn't been contracted to "defend" the whaling ships. If this guy tried boarding my ship, I'd blow him out of the water, or arm my crew and tell them to protect the ship and repel boarders. I know whaling is highly controversial, but his methods are kind of... well, a bit aggressive. I'm not surprised he's finding himself in (hee hee) hot water.

0 ( +10 / -10 )

Hey, look to their official flag: the same flag that you see in One Piece cartoons. You see no whales in their flag. I guess, if you ask him he will say, it is a pirate flag!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Right or not, that we agree or not, if we start to use the laws that were made to protect each other against real treath out of their context, it will be the end of democraty and the beginning of a new dictatorship period.

Even if his methods are agressives, he does not strike the japaneese governement and does not risk to install his politics there. He does not hide his face. He does not kill children. He does not kill women because they want to study.... and i can continue like that for a very long time.

Japan adapt the spirit of the law on their need to try to justified the eradication of opposition. Japanneese tend to not contest the government, but the rest of the world is not japan. Manipulating internaional law will not help them to restore their reputation on this matter.

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

Removing 1000 Minke whales from 515,000 is sustainable.

Heda, I assume that Japan "removes" 1000 whales from the oceans per year.

If every country hunted whales the same way, in proportion to their populations -- so the US would get 3000 whales, Australia 200, etc. -- the Minke whale would be extinct inside of a decade.

Japan's whale hunting is only "sustainable" if that country has an exclusive monopoly on whale hunting..

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

This might at last bring into light not only in the courts, but in the court of public opinion. Some feel Sea Shepherd is just a little too overt and the way eco-activist Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society involve themselves at sea. I have seen countless hours of video on the way the Sea Shepherd's people get in the way of the whaling vessels, it is a wonder someone has not been seriously or fatally injured. Perhaps bringing this our off the oceans, may serve them better.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Eco-Terrier Watson is in no position to cause! He has ridden himself into the swamp and should take responsibility for it and don't shove it off to Japan!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

*accuse

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

If Watson fouled a ship's proppler to leave it in a floundering state then he 'IS' a terrorist.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

what about arresting those who do illegal whaling and shark finning?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

He should try Italy...nobody ever goes to prison there...sigh...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Watson is a coward and loser, supported now only by the brainwashed supporters who feed his legal fund. He is a chronic liar as evidenced by his being sued by both Peter Bethune and Ady Gil. His penchant for violence is what got him kicked out of Greenpeace in he first place. His attempts to blame "Japan" for everything are laughable. Costa Rica is an Anti-Whaling nation. Germany is an anti-whaling nation. The U.S. is an anti-whaling nation. All of the charges against him are related to VIOLENCE, not whales, protesting or the environment. Watson continues to harp on the same old line because on the issue of violence, he has no defense. SSCS's own videos provide ample evidence that he is a "pirate" and an "eco-terrorist" as defined by a US Federal Court and Law Enforcement Agency. This guys career is over.

Mitch CohenNov. 14, 2013 - 03:09PM JST I believe it. Our future does depend largely on sustainable ocean ecosystems. DisillusionedNov. 14, 2013 - 05:10PM JST I say removing one whale from a population of 500,00 is too many. Japan does not need to hunt whales.

What Japan is doing is conducting their research necessary to allow the IWC scientific committee to determine what is or isn't "sustainable". Prior to the Moratorium on commercial whaling, such research was done as a side line to the commercial catch and a separate program was not needed. This research by Japan is in accordance with and incompliance with the IWC Scientific Committee's requirements and Article VIII. What Japan is doing is obtaining data that may result in the Scientific Committee recommending a partial lifting of the moratorium for specific non-endangered species. Their goal is to resume SUSTAINABLE WHALING. Of course, this objective has been and continues to be blocked by the anti-whaling faction that has paralyzed the IWC. Let the ICJ make a ruling on the whaling. Let the US Federal Courts make a ruling on Paul Watson.

2 ( +14 / -12 )

Kudos to Watson, hunting 1000 whales year after year under the guise of research are pretty much a con job

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

Lets get real. Research whales is not commercial fishing. Its research for controlling whale population. What I dont like are those big ships removing the entire ocean floor. Ss should focus on deep seas fishing. thats the real problem. Not some bulki mammals that are already recovering in population even with the japanese whalers.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

With millions in official development assistance money from Japan going to Costa Rica ($317 million from 2007-2011), it's no surprise that CR has made Paul Watson a target.

CR won't attempt to extradite a US citizen -- guilty of hit and run that seriously injured a pedestrian -- but will sure as hell attempt to arrest Watson on behalf of Japan.

Criminals can brazenly threaten or kill activists in Costa Rica too. Celebrity Gordon Ramsay was held at gun point and doused with gasoline by criminal shark fin smugglers in Costa Rica -- and the authorities simply advised him to flee the country. More recently, activist Jairo Mora Sandoval was murdered by turtle poachers and his body was dumped on a Costa Rican beach as a message to others.

So Watson attempted to stop Costa Rican shark poaching and later Japanese whale poaching and now two corrupt governments are abusing international extradition treaties to get him.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Watson and his supporters are loaded with reasons to blame everyone and everything other than Watson himself. Watson knew he didn't stand a chance in court in Costa Rica so he ran. He knows he doesn't stand a chance in court in Japan so he runs. The day he goes to these courts, fights the charges and accepts the results regardless of the outcome he will be the champion of the environment as he claims. Until then he is simply a coward.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

If you do your research and check the facts, there is a abundance of evidence that Mr. Paul Watson's tactics is by no means acceptable and are illegal and dangerous and totally ineffective at actually bringing any meaningful change of reducing whaling. His motives are not necessarily pure and unfortunately he has a history of dishonest and outright criminal behavior. He is on the Interpol's most wanted list because of the actions he took and is being held accountable. If he doesn't feel guilty then mann up to it and prove that you are innocent in court. Be a fighter. Don't run away, blame others, make excuses but take responsibility and face the judge and prove the plaintiff wrong. He sounds scared and is running away and is not a very confident man. In life you cannot run away from problems. Sooner or later it will catch up with you.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

If every country hunted whales the same way, in proportion to their populations -- so the US would get 3000 whales, Australia 200, etc. -- the Minke whale would be extinct inside of a decade.

Japan's whale hunting is only "sustainable" if that country has an exclusive monopoly on whale hunting..

You've just demonstrated how little you understand about biotic resource management.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

OssanAmerica Nov. 14, 2013 - 10:46PM JST What Japan is doing is conducting their research necessary to allow the IWC scientific committee to determine what is or isn't "sustainable".

IWC seem to be only focused on sustainable whale hunting. Whales are important, but the real problem is more of overfishing, especially by China and other developed nations that is taken place when the fish are captured at a faster rate than they are able to reproduce. Today, 90 percent of the sea species at the top position in the marine ecosystems food chain, such as tuna, cod, sword fish and sharks have practically been eliminated or are in a situation of critical decline.The result is an unstable ecosystem that involves the reorganization of the seas ecosystems with unknown consequences of the oceans balance. If overfishing continues at this rate, certain fish will have become extinct in three to four decades.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Thon Taddeo

If every country hunted whales the same way, in proportion to their populations -- so the US would get 3000 whales, Australia 200, etc. -- the Minke whale would be extinct inside of a decade.

What is your point? Every country doesn't want to hunt whales. You might as well what happens if aliens from Alpha Centauri want to hunt whales.

3 ( +6 / -4 )

sfjp330Nov. 15, 2013 - 04:54AM JST :OssanAmerica Nov. 14, 2013 - 10:46PM JST What Japan is doing is conducting their research necessary to allow the IWC scientific committee to determine what is or isn't "sustainable".

IWC seem to be only focused on sustainable whale hunting. Whales are important, but the real problem is more of >overfishing, especially by China and other developed nations that is taken place when the fish are captured at a faster >rate than they are able to reproduce.

That is correct but the IWC exists only to regulate Whaling.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Paul Watson wants to be on "Dancing With the Stars" more than he wants to save the ocean. The way to get Japan to stop whaling is simple, stop telling them they can't. There is no economic reason to do it, just pride and not wanting to be dictated to.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Thanks Japan, please jail this criminal ASAP!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Looks like Costa Rica wants Watson's rear end.

"Watson was on U.S. soil for only a week when Costa Rican judicial officials formally requested the U.S. extradite him back to Costa Rica to face charges of allegedly endangering a ship’s crew at high seas in a 2002 incident off the coast of Guatemala.On Nov. 5, Costa Rica’s First Circuit Penal Court of San José requested the U.S. arrest Watson and extradite him to Costa Rica.“Finding the accused [Watson] in the United States, we request his immediate capture, and once that has been executed the procedure for his extradition will begin,” the request from First Circuit Judge Jorge Cordero stated."

http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-seeks-arrest-extradition-from-US-of-Sea-Shepherd-s-Paul-Watson-_Wednesday-November-13-2013

1 ( +5 / -4 )

“I figure on Interpol’s Red List initially at the demand of Japan, Germany and Costa Rica,” he told France’s Le Monde daily, adding that the last two nations had since dropped the request.

Hooray. Watson finally admits that he's still on Interpol's Red List.

“Environmental activists are the new enemies. In Canada, they are viewed as potential terrorists. In the United States, the FBI has placed them along with Al-Qaeda and animal-rights activists as the biggest domestic terrorist threats.”

That must have been quite a shock for Watson when he first realised that many countries would legally object to Watson and his eco-terrorist SS sinking fishing vessels, throwing glass bottles of acid at vessels and sailors, ramming vessels, ilegally boarding vessels, shooting red phosphourus flares at sailors, and every other illegal action taken by the inept eco-terrorist crews.

Watson said he was in talks to seek refuge in France, the only country apart from the United States where he said he expects a fair trial.

“We have had a lot of support and more than 100,000 people have signed a petition so that I can come,” he said.

Why would the French government want Watson stirring up eco-terrorism in France? I wonder how many of those alledged (the number was supplied by Watson) 100K signatures came from actual French citizens and not from the usual pro-violence, pro-Watson, eco-terrorist SS supporters e-signing from outside France?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

" it is a wonder someone has not been seriously or fatally injured."

The reason he was arrested in Germany to begin with, was to answer a charge for a fatality that already has occurred, allegedly caused by Sea Shepherd.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

If there is a hard, high wall and an egg that breaks against it, no matter how right the wall or how wrong the egg, I will stand on the side of the egg. (Haruki Murakami)

Go Sea Shepherd Go!!****

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

If every country hunted whales the same way, in proportion to their populations -- so the US would get 3000 whales, Australia 200, etc. -- the Minke whale would be extinct inside of a decade.

If everyone drove on the roads, they would choked and useless. Therefore, we should not have roads.

If every country hunted whales, the take per country would be set lower.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

xandirules

If there is a hard, high wall and an egg that breaks against it, no matter how right the wall or how wrong the egg, I will stand on the side of the egg. (Haruki Murakami) Go Sea Shepherd Go!!****

You totally don't get Murakami if you're equating Sea Shepherd, especially Paul Watson, with the egg. It's actually pretty ironic.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

stop whaling in antarctica and stick to coastal whaling then sea shepherd can't do jack without really violating some major laws

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Ronin.

Won't work, recall when SSCS sank ships anchored in Iceland and Norway. Or they went into territorial waters in the Mediterranean or onto Canadian soil.

There are reasons why Watson and his SSCS is in court, classed as eco-terrorists, wanted by a few countries and now only 2 countries will register their ships.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Ronin DaveNov. 15, 2013 - 05:14PM JST stop whaling in antarctica and stick to coastal whaling then sea shepherd can't do jack without really violating some >major laws

They already ARE violating some major laws. Why do you think they are in court?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I find it difficult to believe that Japan is coercing either the US or Germany. Seems like Watson and SS have stepped over the line into activity that many countries consider criminal. Maybe not terrorist, but criminal. So now he's got a problem and is trying to find public sympathy to get out of it.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The United States, Germany and Costa Rica are all anti-whaling nations that have voted against Japan and the pro-whaling group at every turn in the IWC. Watson is in the trouble that he is because of the violent nature of his actions not protesting or being against whaling. That Watson vilifies Japan when the entire world does not approve of his criminal methods exposes the latent racism he maintains, which he has parlayed very well with Australian nationalism and territorial claims. If anyone deserves to be tried, convicted and incarcerated in Japan, it's Paul Watson.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I commend him for following what he think is right, Watson is suspecting Japan is using incentives and money to make other members agree with their plans... up to a point that passive protest is not anymore effective, he wants to attract the attention to the underhand tactics of japan..

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan is using incentives and money to make other members agree with their plans

Wait, you mean they are doing what governments have done since the first government was formed?

Aren't the SSCS trying to use money to make others agree with them? Oh but wait that is OK because you agree with the SSCS, so when they do it it is OK but when a group you don't agree with does it is is WRONG.

You are a hypocrite. And passive protests still work just fine. Your claim is just the refuge of scoundrels who get upset when the world doesn't do what they want.

-1 ( +0 / -2 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites