'Cove' star urges dolphin watching, not killing

Snore. This guy is boring and incredibly patronizing. Leading a prayer service and all that nonsense.

Go back and sort out the issues in your own country before coming over here and trying to sort out ours.

Miyakejime sounds like a beautiful place! They have really set a good example for the rest of Japan.

How much press coverage is this guy going to get? Is his life one big press conference?

You can do dolphin watching in any Wakayama supermarket, in the fresh fish section.

Hmm ... 100 riot police. I guess the local residents must be very prone to violence. I hope 100 is enough to give adequate protection to the activists.

....personally i am both disguested and mortified by what i saw in 'the cove' .. im not going to lie that i actually cried while watching the dolphins be killed and the whole area turning red with blood.. i still dont understand as to why the goverment will feed it to the peole when dolphins have high dosage of mercury running throu them.... aside from that i still find japan wonderful and i still wish to visit it for the culture and history. =3

some obscure village in Japan abuses animals, and the whole nation gets the blame by this guy.

some obscure village in Japan abuses animals, and the whole nation gets the blame by this guy.

So does the article, just look at how the location of Miyakejima and Taji in Japan is described. It would seem every place not Tokyo in Japan has to be referred by the distance away from Tokyo by foreigners.

He obviously wants Taji to turn their village into a tourist attraction for dolphin lovers, well guess what Ric, they would've preferred this relatively effortless venture if the returns were about the same if not better.

If dolphins are apparently intelligent enough to warrant protection, wouldn't they be smart enough to protect themselves by not coming back to Taji?

Dolphin 1: "Dude, those humans at this particular coastal settlement just slaughtered my whole pod!"

Dolphin 2: "Whoa, pass along the news of this atrocity to all pods that migrate this route, and tell them to steer clear of this place!"

the high mercury content argument obviously only works against places where dolphins are prone to ingesting mercury. So what's more to the issue other than I LOVE DOLPHINS, DON'T HURT THEM YOU DOLPHIN HATER ?

some obscure village in Japan abuses animals, and the whole nation gets the blame by this guy.

You must be reading a different article. The way I see it, 'this guy' is praising folk who are doing stuff he likes. How is that blaming a whole nation?

they would've preferred this relatively effortless venture if the returns were about the same if not better

They were offered the proceeds from The Cove if they would stop killing dolphins. They said No.

Dolphin 1: "Dude, those humans at this particular coastal settlement just slaughtered my whole pod!"

Dolphin 1 can't say anything to Dolphin 2 because the whole pod is dead.

hey were offered the proceeds from The Cove if they would stop killing dolphins. They said No.

shows how much the world cares, but I do, I watched the Cove at my friend's place, he got the movie from..look he is a poor College student ok?

If this activist is slipping into Japan with a disguise to avoid being arrested by the Japanese police and attacked by the irate fishermen, then he should stay home because he has no right to force his values on the people. Perhaps the ulterior motive is to seek attention to get press coverage and of course to make money.

Trying to force people to appreciate your own subjective feelings for an animal species is in all attempts vain

they [Taiji dolphin hunters] were offered the proceeds from The Cove if they would stop killing dolphins. They said No

haha oh wow

The man has an absolute right to object to this kind of antiquated tradition, and if the media want to follow him around while he does, then more power to him. At the end of the day, what is he objecting to? A very barbaric practice in an isolated and provincial part of Japan. Does he blame the whole of Japan? No. Not all traditions are worth preserving just because they are a tradition.

Go away! This leach makes me sick, what a manipulative little scandral! As always, it is all about the money.

As long as all he does is object to it and not hop aboard ships like in whale wars.

O’Barry said he will lead a prayer ceremony in Taiji for people who have died in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster and for the dolphins about to die in the hunt. He is traveling by bus with two dozen people who are all dolphin-lovers, he said.

meanwhile...

Wakayama Prefectural police have said some 100 riot police are carrying out drills to prepare for possible confrontation with activists as the annual dolphin hunts begins, including chasing boats and making arrests.

interesting... feeling a little 'edgy' are we Taiji J-flops? ready to use violence are we?

how dare these barbaric foreigners tell us not to savagely slaughter innocent intelligent and endangered beings!! BONZAI!

what does being a foreigner have anything to do with this? it's about preventing senseless cruelty to defenseless,intelligent mammalians on a massive scale,no one gives a flip where they are slaughtered,japan the faroes it's cruel and wrong no matter where and as a human being we all carry a responsibility to our fellow creatures.

I noticed most of the "Japan is Evil" comments are being made by people that don't even live in Japan. You know some people in India that the same things about the American cattle industry and some Muslims may even say the same thing about eating pork.

Prior to release of the movie “The Cove” many Japanese girls/young women I talked to would talk of how they loved dolphins (not dolphin) and would cite swimming with dolphins as their ‘dream.’ And on virtually any given night Japanese variety shows would feature humans swimming with dolphins ad nauseum, backed by the guest panels and studio audiences endlessly squealing ‘kawaiiiii.’

It’s ironic how soon after the movie’s release you NEVER hear people in Japan talk of their love of dolphins, and television segments featuring warm and fuzzy human-dolphin interaction have completely disappeared.

I have never met a single Japanese person who expresses opposition to dolphin/whale hunts. You would think there would be at least a few out there. Bizarre.

If very few Japanese actually eat dolphin, what happens to the 20,000 who are killed every year?

If 18,000 are killed elsewhere, why has Taiji been singled out? Is it because of their method of killing? If so, if they changed their methods, would that be a compromise?

Miyakejima needs better promotion. Having read this article, I WANT to go there and see the dolphins and support the island for myself but I had never heard of it before now. Maybe if Miyakejima became rich and affluent as a result of tourism to watch the dolphins, other areas currently killing the dolphins would follow?

To be honest, I think the guys protesting have made a great misjudgement of Japanese culture - not surprising really given most of them never set foot inside Japan until all this started.

I can understand their emotion, but if you want change here, the last thing you do is - as a non-Japanese - start trying to force Japanese to bend to your way of thinking. That way will ensure they continue the slaughter out of sheer bloody-mindedness even if they no longer even want to because they cannot be seen to be bending to a foreigners will. A far better approach would have been through dialogue and gradual, gentle persuasion.

Now I can see this continuing for years and years just because these guys wont be told what to do and lose face in the eyes of their country and the world.

If very few Japanese actually eat dolphin, what happens to the 20,000 who are killed every year?

Some is relabelled as whale meat.

Much of the rest becomes fertiliser.

And if you buy pet food, beware of ingredient lists that mention 'meat' without being more specific.

For all of the people vilifying Ric O'Barry, try watching, "The Cove", and then see if you have the same opinion. The world needs more people like Mr. O'Barry (not fewer of them), to expose the sadistic, barbaric, and absolutely heinous annual slaughter of hundreds of dolphins (for VERY little profit, I might add)! It's the fisherman of Taiji who should be vilified, not Ric O'Barry!!

I'd be more than happy to go and watch the dolphin harvest in Taiji! Thanks Ric!

The Cove was an overwhelming success if measured in terms of producing an outrage-evoking, Academy/Sundance award-winning, good-shock-value documentary, but a dismal failure if measured in terms of enlisting the support of the Japanese people toward conservation of dolphins and other ocean wildlife.

If the producers aim was to protect dolphins, at the very least they should have been more thoughtful by featuring a clandestine crew that included plenty of Japanese activists at the forefront leading the fight for the good of Japan, and conveyed scenes portraying man-in-the-street interviews with Japanese sympathizers.

The film miserably failed to win the hearts and minds of average Japanese citizens. Instead, it is seen by most as a cultural affront, and has succeeded in instilling a “barbarians at the gates” mentality whereby eating dolphin (and whale) has now become a noble-minded patriotic gesture. In fact, in recent years many Japanese schools have even re-introduced whale meat to school lunches to ‘teach’ school children about this aspect of Japanese food culture (albeit more in response to Greenpeace than to The Cove).

As an aside, pressure toward self-censorship of the film is strong. Here is a link to a new documentary showing the pressure faced by a Yokohama-based theater owner who chose to screen The Cove: www.youtube.com/watch?v=68GdGzsZ_KM

I think it's a disgrace that this guy would dare to put the lives of people who died in the March disaster on the same level of animals that are killed for food and other purposes.

How would the victims' families feel about it? He's just abusing their memory for his own purposes.

If he wants to spend his life protesting about how other people live their lives, fine, but he could at least not disrespect people who have nothing to do with this issue.

If he wants to spend his life protesting about how other people live their lives, fine,

He isn't protesting about how people live their lives. he's protesting about how animals that are very dear to him die their deaths.

Spidapig24,

I actually cant believe you even liken the slaughter of dolphins and the way they are killed to factory farmed animals being slaughtered.

I wasn't referring to the slaughter of factory farmed animals, more to the fact that they are factory farmed per se (before being slaughtered). If I had to choose, I'd rather take a Taiji dolphin life and death over a factory farmed animal life and death. I take a holistic view in this respect.

I'd like to say I can't believe that O'Barry would put human victims of a natural disaster on the same level as animals killed for food, but then it didn't surprise me to be honest.

But I would really like to know whether you could meet someone who lost a loved one in the natural disaster, and tell them that you can only empathize with them as much as you can for an animal that people purposefully take the life from for the benefit of their society.

cleo,

Your point being...?

Full disclosure is what it is...

If I had to choose, I'd rather take a Taiji dolphin life and death over a factory farmed animal life and death.

But as a human you don't have to choose. Lucky you.

The 'This way of killing animals is better than that way' argument only carries any weight if you totally refrain from whichever way you think is not humane. Can we take it you refuse to eat factory-farmed meat?

Didn't think so.

You all gaijins who love to behave as "hater" and "blamer" to Japan & Japanese people & culture/custom.

You better watch this wise & intelligent American guy's video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM3lOW12ZeA

This American gentleman is the real one we Japanese people respect so much.

Readers, once again we ask you all to stay on topoic. The subject is dolphins, not factory-farmed meat.

I hope that the important point that the victims of the natural disaster are not on the same level as animals killed for food has not been lost here.

ChopriCana,

Texas Oyaji is indeed a decent respectful person, unlike Mr. O'Barry who perhaps does not even realise how offensive he is to the majority of human beings.

Hm, let's see - you kill a dolphin (or whale) and sell its meat. You make money once. Then you have to start all over again. You watch a dolphin for 30 years and dolphin watchers pay over and over again. Which is worth more? Live dolphin or dead dolphin? No brainer, really.

Just cos people claim it's cultural, it ain't always right, folks.

@Jannetto Will you pay all the money & fund to help people of Taiji transfer their business for what Ric O’Barry proposed? "Blamer" is just "blamer." They take no responsibility what they have blamed. Ric O’Barry just blamed the people of Taiji and proposed the other business with taking NO responsibility. People of Taiji are the one who will decide their own future.

Watch the last half of the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM3lOW12ZeA

The point is why this Ric O’Barry & Sea Shepherd blames only to Taiji Village and not to the people in Numazu (沼津) , Kitakyushu (北九州), and Muroto (室戸). These are the biggest Three dolphin/whale-meat manufactures which hunt dolphins and whales to sell in major fish markets in Japan & eat by themselves.

There are only 3000 people are living in Taiji and they're not hunting too many dolphins & whales like these big 3 Cities above. If Ric O’Barry & Sea Shepherd have a strong philosophy to save animals' lives on planet they should not intensively target poor village's people. O’Barry's criticism is missing the point.

RE: In fact, in recent years many Japanese schools have even re-introduced whale meat to school lunches to ‘teach’ school children about this aspect of Japanese food culture (albeit more in response to Greenpeace than to The Cove).

Is there any evidence for this? Link to article would be appreciated.

Also, we have to remember that this 'food culture' is a recent thing. I get the impression people think that culture justifies everything for people. Japanese whaling has only been around since Meiji, so I'm told.

Also, it IS true that THE COVE used a style of activism culturally inappropriate for Japan, perhaps it should have tried a different approach to reach out to Japanese people. Hey, the bottom line is that there is no effective activism going on here and pressure DOES work.

If Ric O'Barry really has the enough finance to ready to pay all the cost himself for people in Taiji and the all other cities besides these 3 above for what he has proposed in this article, just do it. Will he cover all fishermen's salary, life, and compensate what these fishermen will lose for money like an insurance company? Gimme a Break!!! LOL!!!

I'm 100% sure that at least the Yamaguchi & Inagawa Yakuza Families (山口&稲川会系暴力団) who manages the major dolphin/whale-meat manufactures in Numazu (沼津) , Kitakyushu (北九州), and Muroto (室戸) will practice extortion against Ric O'Barry & Sea Shepherd.

Again "blamer" is just "blamer." They take no responsibility what they have blamed.

In response to Parumen

RE: RE: In fact, in recent years many Japanese schools have even re-introduced whale meat to school lunches to ‘teach’ school children about this aspect of Japanese food culture (albeit more in response to Greenpeace than to The Cove).

RE: Is there any evidence for this? Link to article would be appreciated.

Japan Times, 4 Sep 2010: "Of about 29,600 public elementary and junior high schools nationwide offering lunches for students, 5,355 schools, or 18 percent, responded they had served whale meat in their lunches at least once in fiscal 2009 through March 2010..."

Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100904x2.html

(A google search yields many more hits on the subject)

All readers back on topic please. Whale meat is not relevant to this discussion.

interesting fact about the school lunch situation is that the Mayor and Fisherman's union in Taiji tried to get dolphin meat onto the menu in Taiji elementary schools but two Taiji councilmen checked the mercury levels for themselves and squelched that plan.

O’Barry said he will lead a prayer ceremony in Taiji for people who have died in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster and for the dolphins about to die in the hunt.

Um, unless they were in Tohoku at the time, I'm thinking they would have been safe considering Taiji is in Kansai.

I can see this guy is rock solid with his facts.

Having been to Taiji and having seen the cove, I think it's amazing they manage to kill 2,000, let alone 20,000. They must be real busy doing this, you have to wonder where they get the time to fish.

"bayonet" is a knife attached to a rifle. Why use this term? Does he think they still wear Imperial Army uniforms too?

ReformedBasher,

"bayonet" is a knife attached to a rifle. Why use this term?

That's because the idea is to liken animals (killed for food etc) with humans (including those who have passed in natural disasters), and using a word with such connotations suits his purpose. If couldn't just say "spear" because it would sound like what it is (and even some anti-whalers are ok with cetacean killing so long as spears are used rather than next generation methods).

I believe this sort of rhetoric doesn't convince anyone who isn't susceptible to cetacean worship brainwashing in the first place though, but it is important to highlight the nature of these people.

davidattokyo

I believe this sort of rhetoric doesn't convince anyone who isn't susceptible to cetacean worship brainwashing in the first place though, but it is important to highlight the nature of these people.

By cetacean worship brainwashing l am assuming that you mean people who actually give a stuff about animals and would like to see this barbaric practice stopped or at least modified so as to be more humane.

davidattokyo

but it is important to highlight the nature of these people

And what nature would that be david? As opposed to the nature of oh say a person who is rabidly pro whaling so much so the he has his own blog and twitter to rant and rave about pro whaling. A person who gets on and discusses only topics to do with whaling (or dolphins). Maybe we should discuss people of this nature, but no doubt the moderator will remove this as they seem ok with you insulting and belittling people (calling them brainwashed and questioning their nature).

@Spidapig

I don't like animals being killed. But I don't like BS either.

hahaha.. i dont really give a damn if the incident is happening in japan or in the usa or whereever else. its a cruel act to such a defenseless animal. if it needs to be done, at least find a humane way or keep dolphins and breed them in a secure secluded area where nobody has to know its happening. (im not encourageing it.. im just saying if you must do it.. do it humanely ) As for the man himself.. he's not doing this to make money fame.. he's just showing the world a cruel act against animals. he's not blameing all of japan, he's making it to one single part of the area. he still encourages tourism and everything to japan..... he's not like whale wars, guys and jumping on boats and all kinds of crap. >_>

O’Barry was an expert at training dolphins, such as the ones for the 1960s “Flipper” TV series, until he had a change of heart and instead devoted his life to saving dolphins.

O'Barry's change of heart came about more because he couldn't get work in the entertainment business anymore. Singing the praise of dophins at least provided an income.

There are only around 6,000 voting members for the "Oscars" so that award really doesn't amount to much outside of the movie industry.

O'Barry is more interested in promoting O'Barry than anything else. Please don't ignore him - he used to be a star........

http://www1.umn.edu/ships/ethics/minamata.htm - Please read about Minamata Disease (high mercury in dolphin meat).