Japan, Australia agree on whaling protests

AFP, March, 2008

MAKUHARI, Japan (AFP) — Japan said Saturday it and Australia had agreed to oppose aggressive tactics by anti-whaling protesters despite the two countries' strong disagreements on whaling itself.

Japanese Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita said he raised the whaling row with Martin Ferguson, Australia's minister for resources and energy, on the sidelines of 20-nation climate change talks in suburban Tokyo.

"I told Minister Ferguson that it's okay to have heated discussions during talks, for example at the International Whaling Commission, so as to overcome our cultural differences," Kamoshita told reporters.

"But I told him that Japan cannot forgive violent activities such as those of Sea Shepherd," he said.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which has its headquarters in the United States and is active in Australia, has tried to physically stop Japan's whaling in the Antarctic, branding it barbaric.

The conservationists have thrown stink bombs at ...