[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[December 29, 2000]
[Pages 2812-2813]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Letter to Congressional Leaders on Japanese Whaling Practices
December 29, 2000
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
On September 13, 2000, the Secretary of Commerce certified that
Japan had authorized its nationals to conduct research whaling
activities that diminish the effectiveness of the International Whaling
Convention (IWC) conservation program. This message constitutes my
report to the Congress pursuant to section 8 of the Fishermen's
Protective Act of 1967, 22 U.S.C. 1978 (the Pelly Amendment).
Secretary Mineta's certification was
the third against Japan for scientific research whaling. The first was
in 1988, when Japan initiated its Antarctic program that now entails an
annual take of 440 minke whales. The second was in 1995, after Japan
extended its program to the North Pacific, where it has been taking 100
minke whales per year. This year, despite a specific resolution passed
by the majority of IWC parties calling on Japan to refrain from
conducting lethal research in the North Pacific, Japan expanded its
program in the North Pacific to permit the take of 10 sperm whales and
50 Bryde's whales. The total harvest in this summer's hunt was 40 minke
whales, 5 sperm whales, and 43 Bryde's whales. I remain very concerned
about Japan's decision to expand its research whaling to two additional
species.
I also remain concerned about Japan's practice of taking whales in
the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary north of Antarctica. This is an
internationally recognized sanctuary that was approved by the IWC. I see
no justification for Japan's practice and will continue to urge Japan to
reconsider its policy, which I believe undermines the effectiveness of
whale sanctuaries everywhere. I note in addition that Japan's practice
is clearly out of step with the growing international consensus in
support of whale sanctuaries, and in sharp contrast to the strong
leadership that Mexico and Brazil have both shown in the last 3 months
in designating areas off their coasts as whale sanctuaries.
Along with many other members of the IWC, the United States believes
the Japanese research whaling program has dubious scientific validity.
Information relevant to management of whale stocks can be collected by
nonlethal techniques. Products of the research harvest are sold in
Japanese markets, which raises questions about the true motivation for
the program. In addition, Japan has conducted the same set of scientific
research experiments on significant numbers of minke whales for more
than 10 years.
I want to underscore that concerns about Japan's lethal scientific
whaling program are not simply a bilateral matter. A substantial
majority
[[Page 2813]]
of IWC members share our concern and want Japan to curtail its program.
My Administration has already taken a wide range of economic and
diplomatic measures in response to Japan's expanded program. On
September 13, I directed the Secretary of State to make Japan ineligible
to conduct fishing operations within the United States exclusive
economic zone. I, members of my Cabinet, and other United States
officials, have raised our strong concerns at the highest levels of the
Japanese Government and will continue to do so. I have personally
intervened with Prime Minister Mori. We also
joined 14 other governments in making a high-level demarche to the
Japanese Government to protest its decision to issue the permits. In
September, we canceled a bilateral fisheries meeting that we have been
holding annually for more than a decade. We also declined to participate
in a ministerial meeting on environmental issues in August hosted by
Japan. We have also actively supported the selection of a country other
than Japan to host the next intersessional meeting of the IWC. As a
result, the IWC voted 17-10 to hold the meeting in Monaco instead of
Tokyo.
The United States has intensified its serious engagement on these
issues with Japan. In November, we held bilateral consultations with
Japan in Tokyo on scientific research on whales. At that meeting, we
appreciated receiving the news that Japan is preparing to conduct two
nonlethal scientific whale programs in the next 12 months. This is a
very encouraging sign. We expect our bilateral meeting will lead to an
IWC Scientific Committee workshop on methods for whale research. I view
this meeting as a positive but limited step. Our goal remains that Japan
substitute nonlethal techniques for its program. We will vigorously
pursue this objective in conjunction with our partners in the IWC.
We are concerned that the presence of these additional species of
whales in the Japanese market could increase the risk of derivatives of
whale products entering international commerce. To this end, we have
raised these matters within the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species, and an interagency team continues to consider
additional measures to enforce international and national prohibitions
on trade in whale products. If warranted, the Secretaries of Commerce
and the Treasury will take appropriate additional measures.
In sum, I remain deeply concerned by Japan's unilateral actions. For
this reason, I have directed the Departments of State, Commerce, the
Interior, and the Treasury, as well as the Office of the United States
Trade Representative, to keep this matter under active review. I will
also direct these agencies to further examine the relationship between
Japanese companies that both manufacture whaling equipment and export
products to the U.S. market. I would consider actions regarding any
imports from whaling equipment manufacturers, as well as actions
regarding a broader range of imported products, should they be warranted
by lack of progress from our bilateral and multilateral efforts;
however, I do not believe that import prohibitions would further our
objectives at this time. We are committed to a sustained effort in order
to bring about positive movement in Japan's whaling policies.
Sincerely,
William J. Clinton
Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate.