Stop the dolphin and whale killings in Taiji

Prime Minister of Japan
Mr. Yasuo FUKUDA
1-6-1 Nagata-cho 1 Chome
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8968 JAPAN

Dear Prime Minister Yasuo FUKUDA,

We are outraged by the annual brutal slaughter of dolphins and whales that takes place in Japan . The images of bloody red water clearly show the world that Japan has little respect for the state of the worlds oceans and for the conservation of the marine resources it claims to support.

Many scientific studies show that the oceans are in decline. We must take whatever actions are necessary to stop their over-exploitation and to protect the creatures that live in them. These dolphins do not belong to Japan . The status of the species of dolphins and whales that you kill are either endangered, threatened, or unknown. It is an unthinkable waste that they will likely end up as a meat product or deceptively sold as whale meat, polluted with toxic levels of mercury and cadmium, killing people that eat it. It is tragic and unacceptable that the remaining dolphins that are not killed will end up destined for death in an aquarium, water park, or "swim with dolphins" program.

In addition, the methods used to kill these animals are cruel.

Corralling the dolphins into bays, then making them suffer a long and painful death by spears, hooks, and drowning is an inhumane way of fishing. This action is disgraceful and has caused much disappointment in the international community.

We demand that Japan permanently and immediately renounce and stop this slaughter. We will work diligently to bring this issue to international light until you have ceased your reprehensible violence.