January 10th, 2012
12:23 AM ET

Japan to hand over detained whaling activists to Australia

Japan said Tuesday that it would hand over to Australian authorities three Australian anti-whaling activists being held aboard a Japanese vessel, but that it would press on with its annual whale hunt in the seas near Antarctica.

The activists had illegally boarded the ship, a patrol vessel supporting Japan's whaling mission in Antarctic waters, to protest the hunting of the giant marine mammals in the area.

The three men will be released without charge after being questioned by Japan's Coast Guard, an official at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday. The official declined to be identified as is customary in Japan.

"They have not been violent after getting on board and had no record of joining past destructive actions by Sea Shepherd," the official said, referring to the anti-whaling group that has clashed several times with the Japanese fleet.

He said the Japanese whaling fleet needed the patrol boat to continue with its hunt.

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soundoff (6 Responses)
  1. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    They may not have been "violent" in boarding the ship, but they still boarded a ship illegally.
    I once exceeded a speed limit while driving a car through a speed trap in Hawaii and had to pay a fine.
    I should have told the policeman that I was speeding to save the whales.

    January 10, 2012 at 1:47 am | Report abuse |
  2. Saoirse

    Mr. JIF is right. They did board the ship illegally but it looks like the J.a.p.a.n.e.s.e have decided not to charge them, so that's that. I still support saving the whales. What the J.a.p.a.n.e.s.e are doing under the cover of "research" is wrong. IMO

    January 10, 2012 at 7:32 am | Report abuse |
  3. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    The decision not to charge the activists was based on PR.

    January 10, 2012 at 7:59 am | Report abuse |
  4. Saoirse

    PR, I can see that being the reason. I was wondering why they weren't charging them.

    January 10, 2012 at 8:10 am | Report abuse |
  5. Tiffany Alamaa

    Really? They weren't charging them becuase they knew they were the one doing wrong.

    January 10, 2012 at 11:24 am | Report abuse |
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    i'm using it as a todo list works great for me would you consider a sbayimn os s60 versionto allow us to login edit add and delete thank you and keep up the good work

    March 14, 2012 at 9:33 pm | Report abuse |
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