Excellent work Mr Sato, I can only wish you luck in the upcoming trial.

The Sea Shepherd group engages in the more simplistic forms of protest, but what the author of this piece is doing is far more practical, but ultimately more difficult. It doesn't get the high stakes recognition that the Sea-Shepherd type protest does though, because it's dealing in more shades of grey.

He's totally right in that victory in this debate will come through persuading the Japanese public.

It's another reminder, more than ever, that freedom of speech and the flow of information needs to be global.

“Australians would be astonished to learn how little the Japanese public knows about whaling”, but Mr. Sato and the Japanese public would be astonished to learn how little the Australian public cares about Japanese whaling.

If successive Australian governments had the LEGAL right to stop the Japanese from whaling, they would have done so long ago. And, given that Japan is still our biggest trading partner, few Australians would be dopy enough to think that Australia will do anything for that reason alone.

The “Sea Shepherd Conservation Group” has nothing to do with conservation. It is a bunch of radical and professional activists with nothing better to do, or with enough financial backing to be able to carry on their dangerous shenanigans. They are political activists, pure and simple.

Whaling will stop only when a Japanese government, not an Australian government, decides that it can stop in without any loss of face – not with Australians, but with the Japanese. Probably, the ordinary Japanese, who doesn’t eat whale meat anyway, couldn’t care less about their government’s face, but the Japanese ruling class still have old fashioned ideas on how they should be seen. And, they know that Australia does not have the rights it claims to have over the particular waters where they whale (they are not international criminals): neither does the rest of the world recognise that Australia has any rights over the matter of whaling.

Whaling is unnecessary; it is cruel, and the Japanese government is talking rubbish when it says it’s doing it for research. But, nothing can be done about it legally; rightly or wrongly, most people don’t care much about whales which they rarely, if every, see: there are much more important things for the Australian population.

Chuntering on about what our government should be doing about it is just a waste of energy. They will not, cannot do a damn thing about it.

Completely agree with the above posts

Australians would be astonished to know how little the Japanese know about the second world war.
Whale meat to the Japanese elders is like Rump steak to ordinary Australians. It's the old fogies that keep the market going. I say this hunting will come to a natural death . Of course g-peace will be there to take advantage of this.

The fact that Greenpeace's guileless pawns Sato and Suziki are being punished for highlighting the corruption and treachery of the Japanese Govt, comes as no surprise. Inherent in their culture. They are the most class conscious people alive, and even though the Pacific War ended in 1945, the main culprits escaped incarceration, and the infamous Bushido remains intact. The ageless Samurai warrior class will always govern, and since 846 AD the path of the warrior class is one of Honour. Intransigent duty to one's master, and loyalty unto death. The Samurai governed, and domiciles became subservient to their whims. They held Life over Death. It was not considered a crime to take another Life, or another man's wife if he saw fit. Sacrosanct, they were empowered to carry swords, and go armed in public, whereas for others it was anathema, and a crime - punishable by death.

The naivete of these two speaks volumes. Whatever else can be said in their defence, should be taken up with Greenpeace International. As employers, they are duty bound to give them every suport. However, it appears highly unlikely.

Even though Aust has been whaling for 191 years (1788-1979) and a member of ICR, the controversy over whaling rages unabated. Whaling in Tangalooma (Qld) only ceased in 1962. Whales were slaughtered for Oil and bayleen for export. The carcasses were burned or buried. No one thought of a thriving pet foody industry. The foul stench could be smelt from as far away as Byron Bay. Wheew !

Greenpeace tookup the Whale issue in 1972, after embracing " Friends of the Earth "; "Project Jonah";" Whale and Dolphin Coalition" etc when it became fashionable to put oneself at risk, as a sign of defiance and masochistic exuberance. Psychiatriat identified this phobia as SDD. Schizoid Dysfunction Disorder, complicated with NPD.

The aggressive subterfuge antics of Paul Watson on MV Steve Irwin, harassing the Japanese whaling fleet is short of Hollywood theatrics. A modern day Buccaneer, he and crew are a source of embarrassment to Canada ( his birth place) and Australia. Ineffectual Garrett has distanced himself..

from the ultra-activist, who pursues the Govt to involve the RAN in a confrontation amounting to undeclared War, to satisfy his miasmic agenda.Evidently he is determined to evoke a Diplomatic Incident with Japan.The fall out is horrendous, as Japan is our largest trading customer.Is there some hidden agenda ? Is he paid to torpedo Overseas Trade with Japan for vested interest ? Will it involve other Trading partners ? Is this only the beginning of concentrated effort to undermine our basic survival ? Where and when will it stop ? This is no amateur stunt by a mental retard, and who pulls the strings ?

He resigned from Greenpeace to form his own Sea Shepherd Conservtion Society, which subsists on donations,bequeaths, stock options, estate gifts, and even a " platinum visa reward "credit card @ 12 %. Supposedly non profit, it's tax exempt. Their equipment never lacks in quality. Money is no option, and the recent dangerous episode with their high tech speed boat Andy Gil, was both provocatively aberrant, and breached Maritime Law.

Watson has lodged a summons against the Jap Whalers in NZ. A test case which will be watched by the World, to determine if this act of Piracy is condoned or condemned. The outcome will have wide recriminations for Greenpeace, SSCS, and any imbecile who endangers human life for notoriety, short term expediency, and phantasmagorical fortunes.

The ICJ,SPASA, AMSA - Aust Maritime Safety Authority, have jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute flagrant flouting of the Law of the Sea. There were instances of collisions, pelting of projectiles, hosing, laser spotting, boarding, noise,etc acts of violence, and harassment. threatening and endangering lives,and acts of Piracy.

UN Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS)1982. Quote: "acts of violence, detention or depredation committed for private ends by the crew or it's passengers on a private ship in the high seas against another ship, against persons or property etc " destroying or damaging another ship or interfering with it's cargo..whales !

According to PW's blog, 95% of Australians oppose whaling. Reality news-polling indicate otherwise.

Lies, lies and politics !