NATION-WIDE CONSUMER ALERT RE
MISADVERTIZED AND DANGEROUSLY CONTAMINATED WHALE MEAT.
More than 2,000 consumer groups, department stores and whalemeat retailers throughout Japan will receive a letter this week co-signed by scientists at Harvard University (USA), The University of Greenwich (UK), and Japan's Daiichi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (copy of letter available upon request).
The letter, based on three supporting scientific papers, is unequivocal.
1. The illegal practise of mislabelling coastally caught dolphins, porpoises and small toothed whales as Antarctic minke whale or simply "kujira" (whale) is widespread in Japan.
Of 113 randomly purchased foodstuffs successfully identified by species through DNA analysis, the scientist's letter states "one quarter were mis-advertized."
2. Coastally caught dolphins, porpoises and toothed whales are subject to mercury and heavy metal contamination at levels greatly in excess of government safety standards.
75% of misadvertized products contained at least one pollutant type at a level above regulatory limits. One cooked dolphin liver sold as pilot whale exceeded mercury contamination safety standards more than 500 fold.
3. Consumers have absolutely no way of telling where their whale product has come from, or whether it is dangerously contaminated by mercury, dioxins and pesticides such as DDT.
The letter, which has also been sent to relevant government ministries and the Prime Ministers Office, calls upon the Japanese government to urgently address this issue in the interests of consumer safety and to prohibit sales of all contaminated products.
Questions relating to the scientific papers can be addressed by phone or e-mail. TEL: 44-7979-865952 (U.K.)
E-mail: mark_simmonds@hushmail.com
Related news.
1. Dr Haraguchi of Daiichi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, one of the cosignatories to the letter, presented his paper on contaminants in whalemeat at the Environmental Toxicology Symposium in Nagoya. The symposium was held on October 21. For conference details:
Dr Onozaki
Tel/Fax : 052 (836) 3419 or 3420
2. Japan's coastal dolphin and porpoise catch is the largest in the world. The seasonal hunt for many regional dolphin and porpoises is beginning now. The TBS ten minute news feature on last week's Shizuoka dolphin hunt (banned for malpractice 3 years ago and reopened this year) exposed resumed malpractice.
The TBS feature was broadcast on the 17.55 news slot Monday.
GRAPHIC INDEPENDENT VIDEO OF THE SHIZUOKA HUNT AND DETAILS OF OTHER DOLPHIN HUNTS IS AVAILABLE. CONTACT: Ms Kurasawa (Tel: 03-3364-2931)
3. A bilingual web site featuring the various scientific papers and detailing other instances of contaminated whale meat has been established to inform Japanese consumers. Web site also includes Faroe Islands government health advisories warning girls and women not to eat whalemeat until they have had all their children.
For Graphic Video footage please check the website: Bluevoice Japanese Dolphin Slaughter