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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001286 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/J AND OES/OA - MHAYES/LPHELPS 
STATE PASS CEQ 
USDOC FOR NOAA/NMFS - CMCCARTY AND RWULFF 
BRIDGETOWN FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2019 
TAGS: EFIS KSCA PREL SENV IWC JA
SUBJECT: WHALING: JAPAN SUPPORTS ANOTHER YEAR FOR FUTURE OF 
THE IWC PROCESS 
 
REF: A. STATE 57029 
     ¶B. TOKYO 322 
 
Classified By: EMIN Robert F. Cekuta, reasons 1.4 b and d. 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: Japan supports continuing the Future of the 
International Whaling Commission process until the 2010 IWC 
Annual Meeting, Fisheries Agency of Japan Deputy Director 
General Jun Yamashita told Emboffs June 8.  However, Japan is 
concerned the "starting point" for the Small Working Group 
(SWG) discussion has shifted from negotiating a medium term 
plan to address a range of issues and has become focused on 
elimination of Japan's research whaling program.  Japan would 
like the SWG to get back to what the GOJ sees as the group's 
original mandate.  Japan also supports retaining Alvaro de 
Soto as SWG chair.  Regarding selecting a new IWC Chair and 
Vice-chair, Japan's preference is for Dr. Hogarth to continue 
as Chair for another year, but it would support others who 
offered a balance between the two positions, such as 
Switzerland and Antigua-Barbuda.  Yamashita restated Japan's 
request that the USG look into the tax exempt status of the 
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.  Per points received from 
Washington, EMIN advised Yamashita to ask the Japanese 
Embassy in Washington to approach the Internal Revenue 
Service regarding the issue.  Yamashita added the issue of 
the Sea Shepherd's actions vis a vis Japanese whaling vessels 
on the high seas needs to be addressed before Japan can move 
forward in the IWC negotiations.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) EMIN accompanied by ESTH Unit Chief, delivered 
demarche points contained in ref A to Fisheries Agency of 
Japan Deputy Director General and Japan's Alternate 
Commissioner to the IWC Jun Yamashita June 8.  Yamashita said 
Japan supports the SWG chair's recommendation that the Future 
of the IWC process continue for another year until the 2010 
IWC Annual Meeting.  However, he said the GOJ is concerned 
the original concept of the process, which he said is to 
negotiate a five year agreement that gradually addresses a 
range of issues to reform the IWC, has changed.  Instead, he 
said the new "starting point" in the Process as advocated by 
Australia in particular, is to eliminate research whaling. 
 
¶3.  (C) While Japan will continue to work for resolution 
within the SWG, Yamashita said there are two stumbling blocks 
for the GOJ in the current proposals: 1) phasing out research 
whaling, and 2) IWC Scientific Committee advice for Japan's 
coastal whaling program.  He added the GOJ already made a 
compromise before the negotiations started when it put on 
hold its plans to take humpback whales in 2007.  (Note: EMIN 
pushed back on Yamashita's statement about the humpbacks and 
also noted the work IWC Chair Hogarth had done relating to a 
possible compromise way forward on coastal whaling and 
limitation on research whaling activities.  Yamashita dropped 
any further reference to the humpbacks.  End note.) 
 
¶4.  (C) In response to the questions contained in ref A, 
Yamashita said Japan believes in limiting participation in 
the SWG to at most ten members balanced between anti- and 
pro- whaling countries, and no observers.  Regarding 
selecting a new IWC Chair and Vice-chair, Yamashita praised 
the work of Dr. Hogarth and said Japan's first choice is for 
Dr. Hogarth to continue for another year to see the process 
through.  If that is not possible, he said the positions 
should represent a balance between the two sides and the 
rumored candidates, Switzerland and Antigua-Barbuda, in the 
GOJ's view, would be good choices. 
 
¶5.  (C) Regarding the SWG Chair, Yamashita said Alvaro de 
Soto has done a good job and should remain in that position 
for another year.  The lack of progress within the SWG is not 
de Soto's fault, Yamashita said, and he then put the blame on 
 
TOKYO 00001286  002 OF 002 
 
 
the Australian government's extreme position.  Nevertheless, 
de Soto, he said, had created a "good atmosphere" at the SWG 
meetings. 
 
¶6.  (C) Yamashita reiterated the previous GOJ request for the 
USG to look into the tax exempt status of the Sea Shepherd 
Conservation Society (ref B).  He said the problem of the Sea 
Shepherd must be solved before Japan can make progress in the 
IWC negotiations.  Drawing on points OES provided, EMIN 
replied the tax status of the Sea Shepherd is a legal issue 
and the Japanese Embassy in Washington should talk to the 
Internal Revenue Service. 
ZUMWALT