telly2 comments

ArrestPaul...I AM an Australian and can tell you the current mood of Australians, all legalities and niceties aside...here goes:

-We do not want Japanese security vessels coming into our economic or coastal control zones without an invitation, period!

-The vast majority of the Australian population OPPOSE whaling.

-Australians do not support the illegal boarding of any nation's vessels, despite how much sympathy we might feel for the protesters.

-Those Australians opposed to whaling find the Japanese government's LYING and DUPLICITOUS position of using the EXCUSE of "scientific whaling" as a cover for Japanese taxpayer-funded whaling to be risible at best and insulting at worst!

-You accuse the protesters and those opposing whaling as being "racist" and appealing to racism. That is errant NONSENSE! Race has nothing to do with it. Any nation that stuffs around in my nation's territorial waters is going to get a black eye...got it? And yes, we could do it if things, unfortunately, escalated out-of-hand. You military is no match for ours...despite how small a nation we are.

-Japanese hypocrisy runs rampant in this thread. The Japanese government jumps up and down whenever a NK or Chinese vessel approaches your waters but we Aussies have to shut up, according to you, when you do the same to us. No bloody way, pal!

-Australia has supported Japan in the past in all its post-war endeavours. We have contributed to any disaster relief to help the people of Japan and despite the terrible atrocities inflicted upon WW2 Aussie soldiers in Changi and the Burma railway by the Imperial Army, we have forgiven, forgotten and become friends. And this is our reward...your naval vessels disrespecting our wishes and invading our territorial waters.

ArrestPaul...are you familiar with the English term, "You haven't got a leg to stand on!" Look down, my friend...your legs seem to be missing!

Interesting response, midoritori. So if a Japanese vessel is sinking in our waters should we send you a bill for their rescue after the event??? I think the Japanese government has acted wisely in what is an escalating situation likely to cause great offence to the people of Australia. We do not take kindly to foreign vessels coming into our waters just as Japan bleats long and hard whenever a Chinese or NK vessel steams into yours.

The legality of whaling is something which will eventually be decided by the UN and other international organisations. If Japan carries out whaling in international waters then most Aussies would NOT support the illegal boarding of their vessels by protesters, much as they might sympathise with them. However...once your vessels come into OUR waters then it's a whole new ball game. Whaling is illegal in all the territories and waters controlled by Australia. Your whaling fleet would do well to respect that.

As to the issue at hand...this is going to turn out really badly for the Japanese. Australian sentiment was against the protesters initially but after your vessels came into OUR waters the tide of opinion changed quickly. Our government might be weak-kneed but our population does not take kindly to being pushed around by bullies or have your forgotten the lessons of WW2?

888naff...what planet do you live on? Most of the western world, apart from Scandinavia, deplores whaling. Regardless...this issue is not about the legality of whaling in international waters, it is about the actions of these protesters (appalling, but understandable) and the incursion of HEAVILY ARMED security vessels escorting your whaling fleet into Australia's territorial and economic-zone waters. Whaling is ILLEGAL in these waters so, with respect, we want your ships to nick off and stay away!

To "Illsayit"...the only reason Australia has not sent frigates into these areas to police the activities of Japanese whalers and the protesters is because our weak-kneed politicians are scared of the economic repercussions. The average Aussie would have love to have seen Japanese security vessels who breached our waters, seized and then escorted back to international waters, warned about ever coming down this way ever again!

Dear friends in Japan. Aussies genuinely like Japanese people and welcome Japanese tourists with open arms. After all the hostility and ugliness of WW2 we are good friends in the international scene HOWEVER Japan insists on provoking Australian anger by continuing to support their so-called "scientific whaling" fleet. Only the Japanese government would think westerners are so stupid as to not recognise the fleet for what it is...a commercial whaling enterprise. So now, Japanese friends, hear this and hear this loudly:

WE DO NOT WANT YOUR WHALING SHIPS COMING INTO OUR TERRITORIAL AND ECONOMIC-EXCLUSION -ZONE WATERS. THIS IS DISRESPECTFUL TOWARDS A FRIENDLY NATION AND HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE.

Australians, as a rule, do not support the actions of the protesters in illegally boarding a Japanese vessel although they understand the sentiment behind the actions of the protesters. Today, however, the Japanese ship, the whale catcher Yushin Maru No. 3, ventured inside Australia's 12 nautical mile territorial limit, where our local law bans whaling. Another vessel of the Japanese fleet went as close as four nautical miles to Tasmania's Macquarie Island. Imagine Japan's anger had an Australian military vessel steamed into your territorial waters without permission or provocation.

No...this has to stop. Either Japan respects its friendly neighbours like Australia or it runs the risk of losing its erstwhile high level of respect amongst ordinary Australian citizens. We do NOT agree with your spurious whaling "research" and will continue to lobby for it to be stopped in the legal forums of the UN. At the moment you can continue to go whaling in international waters BUT STAY OUT OF AUSTRALIAN WATERS BECAUSE WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF JAPAN RUBBING MUD IN OUR FACES!!! Is that clear dear Japanese friends?!?