米国務省、調査捕鯨の自粛求める 2007.11.20
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/america/071120/amr0711200928001-n1.htm
007から一言。私といっしょにクジラのために戦いましょう。
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=d-H6LfyhgWA
このニュースのトピックス:環境・エコ
【ワシントン=山本秀也】日本の捕鯨船団が南極海での調査捕鯨に向けて出航したことについて、米国務省のマコーマック報道官は19日、定例記者会見で、「日本が今年の捕鯨を自粛するよう呼びかける」と語った。今回の調査捕鯨をめぐっては、国際環境保護団体による抗議活動のほか、反捕鯨論の強い米英、オーストラリアなどで反発が強まっている。
マコーマック報道官は、ナガスクジラと今年調査対象に加えられたザトウクジラについて、「特段の配慮」を日本側に求めた。同報道官は、国際捕鯨条約に基づく日本の調査捕鯨の権利は認めるとしながらも、クジラの生態に関しては「非致死性の調査技術が利用可能だ」として、「別の方法」を促した。
ただ、国際環境保護団体が抗議船を南極海に派遣し、実力で調査捕鯨を妨害することについては、「この海域で船舶が沈んだり、損壊すれば悲惨な結果を招く」として、団体側にも自制を求めた。
捕鯨船団の出航を受けて、英国では19日の主要メディアが「再び救え、クジラを」(インディペンデント紙)といった捕鯨反対の報道ぶりをみせた。捕鯨海域に近いオーストラリアでは、野党労働党が捕鯨監視の必要を訴えるなど、調査捕鯨への風当たりが強まっている。
英文記事
【US urges Japan to refrain from whale hunt】
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iqdJaOo7a4hEbh3rnEmFCfF1GBbQ
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,22789284-5005940,00.html
WASHINGTON (AFP) ? The United States on Monday urged Japan to refrain from this year's whale hunt in the Antarctic Ocean and warned all sides to make sure planned protests stay peaceful.
Despite western protests, Japan's whaling fleet set off Sunday towards the Antarctic for a hunt for the famed humpback whales and fin whales.
Though the hunt was legal under the international whaling convention, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "we note that non-lethal research techniques are available to provide nearly all relevant data on whale populations.
"We call on Japan to refrain from conducting this year's hunt, especially in respect to Humpback and fin whales," McCormack said, reading from a statement.
"We also urge restraint and measured approaches from all sides at any protests that may be planned against the Japanese fleet in the Southern Ocean," he said.
"The sinking or damaging of a vessel in this area could have catastrophic consequences for the crews involved, the environment and indeed the living resources all parties cherish," he said.
Japan argues that whale populations have recovered enough to allow a managed catch, but militant environmentalists have vowed in turn to "hunt the whalers" to save the humpbacks.
The six-vessel fleet took off from the western port of Shimonoseki for its five-month voyage led by the 8,044-tonne Nisshin Maru, which has been repaired since a fire that forced Japan to cut short its last Antarctic hunt.
Japan's whaling program is particularly controversial this year because there are plans to kill 50 humpback whales, which opponents say are still endangered.
The annual migration of humpback whales between the Southern Ocean and tropical Pacific waters also supports valuable whale watching tourism ventures in New Zealand, Australia and Tonga.
Japan also intends to kill 50 fin whales, the world's second largest animal after the blue whale.
Greenpeace and the more radical Sea Shepherd environmental group said they would tail the Japanese fleet to protest and disrupt whaling operations.