Activists block Japan whale hunt
Protesters disrupted Japan’s whale hunt in Antarctic waters, forcing the fleet to a standstill while officials worked to unload two activists who used a rubber boat to get on board a harpoon vessel.
Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group, alleged the activists were “hostages” on the Japanese ship Yushin Maru 2. Japanese officials say they have repeatedly attempted to contact Sea Shepherd to arrange a return of the activists but that the group has not responded.
Japan is contacting the Australian government for help, said Hideki Moronuki, a spokesman for the Japanese Fisheries Agency’s whaling section.
A fisheries official, Takahide Naruko, said the fleet would not resume its planned hunt of about 1,000 whales until the activists were handed over.
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