[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.