Taiji – the killing fields

Quickborn, Dec. 18., 2008 – The name of the Japanese city Taiji conjures up horrific images. It has a world wide reputation for intentional animal torture, for hypocrasy, distortion of information and the wholesale slaughter of dolphins, which represents a threat to the survival of the species.

In early December a new season has begun for the 26 dolphin hunters. With the blessing of the government they will kill 2300 dolphins. The total annual quota of dolphins to be killed has been unilaterally set at 20,000 by the Japanese government.

As in previous years, the fishermen will herd the animals into the city’s most popular swimming bay. Then they will block the passage back to the open sea with nets, and wantonly kill them, the water seathing with blood. The carcasses will be dismembered, canned and sold for a give-away price – dolphin meat is not very popular in Japan and it only sells if prices are kept low. In addition, the meat is highly contaminated with mercury. On the one hand the government minimizes the threat to human health in the consumption of contaminated dolphin meat, whilst simultaneously admitting that pregnant women should never eat that meat, owing to the risk of congenital malformation and damage to the neural tube. If the threat from the meat is so great for the unborn, it can hardly be so insignificant for adults. What kind of a government is it that recommends such nutrition to its citizens?

The major of the city is not willing to talk to the international press. When there is to be another mass slaughter, the killing –bay is cordoned off in a wide range in order to prevent the witnessing of such cruelty by outsiders. As an additional precaution, in case a neutral observer were to slip through the cordons with a camera, the whole surface of the bay is sprayed with white foam to hide the blood-filled waters.

When a community unscrupulously acts as a paria in the face of international condemnation, they must be aware that they will be ostracised. Taiji’s Australian twin city of Broome is being pressured to break off the over one hundred year old relationship.

Walter Karpf, 18.12.2008

Translation: Alison Bailey