Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XLI, Global Issues II

342. Telegram From the Embassy in Japan to the Departments of State and Commerce¹

Tokyo, December 22, 1987, 0942Z

22597. Subject: Japan’s Research Whaling Fleet to Sail December 23. Ref: Tokyo 22512.²

1. Summary. GOJ, after considering results of International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee meeting that ended December 17,³ decided December 22 to implement its revised “research whaling” plan. Mothership will sail December 23; three vessel fleet will be on station in Antarctic waters by mid-January. End summary.

2. Economic Counselor was called to Fisheries Agency late on December 22 to receive “advance, official notification” that GOJ has decided to implement its revised research whaling scheme under Article 8 of the International Whaling Convention. Far Seas Fisheries Division Director Tokio Ono told him that after review of the results of the IWC Scientific Committee’s intersessional meeting in Cambridge, UK, December 15–17, the GOJ had concluded that “no substantial objection to the Japanese research plan” had been posed in the Committee’s report.

3. Ono said that the Japanese fleet will consist of one mothership and two catcherboats. The mothership will leave Yokohama on the morning of December 23; the two catcherboats will sail from Shimonoseki on Christmas morning. The fleet is expected to begin taking a total catch of 300 minke wiales in Antarctic waters (105–115 degrees east longitude, and south of 55 degrees south latitude) in mid-January and to complete operations in mid-March.

4. Ono said that Fisheries Agency Director-General Satake would informally brief the Japanese press the same evening on the GOJ decision. Advance notice was provided to the USG in view of the close consultations with US that had taken place in recent months.

5. MOFA Fisheries Division Director Nogami phoned Economic Counselor subsequent to meeting with Ono to convey substantially same information. Nogami said that GOJ’s careful study of the Committee Report revealed “no important scientific views having a vital effect on the appropriateness of the Japanese research whaling plan.”

6. In response to both, Economic Counselor noted that the USG would receive our delegation’s report of the Scientific Committee meeting in the near future and that obviously it would merit careful study.

7. We understand that Greenpeace called a press conference here the afternoon of December 22, apparently to denounce a Japanese decision that the environmental activist group considered a foregone conclusion.

Mansfield

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D871044–0553. Unclassified; Immediate. Sent for information to London and Reykjavik.
2. In telegram 22512 from Tokyo, December 21, the Embassy reported that the Japanese would soon decide whether or not to pursue scientific whaling. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D871041–0832)
3. In telegram 25273 to Tokyo, January 27, 1988, the Department reported: “In December 1987, the IWC Scientific Committee held a special meeting to review a revised research program submitted by Japan. The report of the Scientific Committee reveals that Japan did not succeed in satisfying the Committee that the defects in its program have been cured.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D880072–0550)