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'Cove' star calls on Hollywood to save dolphins

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““Many of my friends love the country of Japan, and they all ask the same question: Why do you need to slaughter dolphins?””

And the only person who invited him to speak at a Japanese university was an English language teacher. This could indicate that he has no Japanese friends.

No, I do not want dolphins killed, but I don’t believe this is the way to go about stopping that killing. Think of your home counties and ask how you would feel, how your fellow countrymen would feel if a group of Japanese film makers did something of this kind there? Being provocative and pushing people into tight corners gets very negative reactions. Now the Japanese feel they are being accused yet again of yet another crime. And some of you prattle on about Japan’s victim mentality, is it any wonder given the freedom to denigrate everything Japanese we see around the would? This site almost specialises in a level of Japan bashing that would never be tolerated on this site if directed at any other country. This is not the way to change things that may very well need changing.

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he has invited Daryl Hannah and other Hollywood stars to the village of Taiji to prevent the killings from starting again.

So did he watch Splash and think, "That's it! I'll get Daryl Hannah! SHE'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO! She's a MERMAID, for god's sake!"

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“The Japanese think he is attacking their tradition.”

no, he's publicizing it, Japan should be proud of it's traditions not hiding them. Sunlight not darkness yields fruit.

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The city goes through great lengths to hide the slaughter. The footage is what it is. I'm not following how posting an AP article is bashing.

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Grafton at 07:21 AM JST - 16th June Think of your home counties and ask how you would feel, how your fellow countrymen would feel if a group of Japanese film makers did something of this kind there?

I do think about my home country and I've seen documentaries questioning where, why, and how we get our food. That's the point -> I've been allowed to see them. There's no necessity for foreign filmmakers to bring light to these issues since we explore them ourselves and we get to make up our own minds.

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Grafton at 07:21 AM JST - 16th June Think of your home counties and ask how you would feel, how your fellow countrymen would feel if a group of Japanese film makers did something of this kind there?

The main problem is that, while in many countries criticism comes from within, in Japan this is completely not possible. A Japanese film crew could NEVER make this documentary. But when a foreign crew comes and makes criticism, the Japanese complain. The conclusion seems to be: "Japan shall not be criticised".

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This problem has been kicking into my daily life. I hear about it once a day and trust me guys.... the Japan Joe Public is pissed and still trying to keep their honne in check. My kids shoe rack at school-every kid has an animal/fish sticker on their box (class of 20). My kid got the dolphin. And I have been catching the local heat as well... in the meeting room and the park. This problem and issue needs to be solved. Similar to tree hugger labeling in the US.... Me and my kid got labeled dolphin and whale huggers. The whole thing needs to be sorted out, quick. And yes I do somewhat resent how its done and practiced. But me feeling is the same for pig killings in Vermont, USA- the inhumane way.

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the Japan Joe Public is pissed

no they are ignorant and manipulated by media. Sheople. ask them why they eat dolphin and leave it at that.

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no they are ignorant and manipulated by media. Sheople. ask them why they eat dolphin and leave it at that.

The problem is more complicated. These people will answer with a straight face: "because it is our culture", despite the person in question have NEVER eaten any dolphin, and even not knowing about this killing before The Cove told him about it.

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I was at Wakayama U last week for the presentation. The students ran the whole show. The students invited Mr. O'Barry to speak. The students also invited the mayor of Taiji and officials from the Isana fisheries union (located in Taiji). The mayor and fisheries people declined to attend on the advice of their lawyers as they have a lawsuit pending against the film. The students did a survey before the event and presented the results. The students facilitated the discussion and question period and also introduced Mr. O'Barry in English and Japanese. And yet only Professor Collins get mentioned in almost very press release I've seen.

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they know they.re doing something wrong but they hide it saying "it.s all culture". It.s japanese world...looks like we can.t do anything to stop it...so sad. I live in tokyo and i must to hear weird answer to trivial question every day... Anyway i don.t understand why government stop to proyect the movie on cinema, people should decide if watch it or not, not the government...

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I don't like the way that this guy is going about this.

I don't necessarily agree with dolphin hunting, but getting all these hollywood "stars" on board is going to do nothing but spread anti-Japanese sentiment across America. To be honest the people influenced by these celebrities are probably not going to research about this custom, and find out their own opinions, just "I don't like it because Jennifer Aniston doesn't."

I feel that negotiation is the way to stop this, not bullying Japan via hollywood. At the moment its Japan that have my sympathies in this matter. And saying that, its not even JAPAN, its a tiny little fishing village with the whole force of America coming down on its head.

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I think Taijii will be the first town in Japan to put up the "No Foreigners Allowed" sign at the town line! While their intentions are good I have to agree that continuing to hammer the town will just increase the hatred they already have against foreigners telling them what to do. They may even increase the killings just to continue their culture arguement.

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shufu, have you watched that movie? have you did notice how much dolphin are killed every day? every year in that small village as you said? and nobody knew about that, of course! it.s a small village, who is going to think about this is happening there? noone! i love japan,i live here,but there are things can.t be allowed, not in japan, around the world!

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Will they also be scheduling to visit the other handful of countries around the world to stop them from slaughtering dolphins? If not, I hope they stop their riduculous argument that they don't want people to eat the meat.

To the movie makers: I will be headed to Taiji ASAP to be able to visit it before the no foreigners allowed sign goes up. Thanks for ruining the images of foreigners in Japan by focusing on the hunt rather than trying to get your Japanese friends to help you alter the laws on dolphin consumption. I hope that you don't any seafood, as it also contains mercury and is eaten much more frequently therefore also causing mercury to accumulate in your bodies.

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anyway japanese usually don.t eat dolphin so i don.t understand why they kill them, they said is a plague...but i don.t think so.

i heard dolphin meat is not so delicious...so i don.t understand why people eat...anyway i know in okinawa they can eat it... i don.t want to eat it...not because that movie, it.s only there are some food which i know i will never eat...

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If he's trying to change the Japanese public opinion on what goes on in Taiji, I doubt the average Japanese person cares much about if Jason Mraz is upset or not about a few dolphins getting killed.

Who are Jason Mraz and Chris Tashima anyway?? I don't even have the urge to Google.

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Mr. Dog - that 'few dolphins' you are referring to is over 20,000 animals per year and Taiji is only one of quite a few throughout Japan where dolphin hunting is commonplace.

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“Many of my friends love the country of Japan, and they all ask the same question: Why do you need to slaughter dolphins?”

"Many of my friends love the country of Japan, and they all ask the same question: Why do you need to worship multiple gods?”

"Many of my friends love the country of Japan, and they all ask the same question: Why do you need to speak a non-English language?”

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``Many of my friends love North America, and they all ask the same question: Why should North Americans be able to tell us what we can and can't do in our own waters when they are polluting theirs?''

Theres a question for ya!

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Will they also be scheduling to visit the other handful of countries around the world to stop them from slaughtering dolphins?

Soloman Islands In April, the Fanalei and Walande communities ended hundreds of years of tradition by signing an agreement that they will not harvest dolphins for two years.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/news/national/6355-thirteen-dolphins-ready-waiting-to-go-free

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KobeKid...love how the story was written by an enviromental activist that will taint the story and how they have promised to not harvest for 2 years...that sounds about right. After 2 years The Cove will be forgotten by most and tradition can continue. Maybe by then, the Cove producers will have made more films of other countries killing dolphins for food and spinning it to make it sound like it is the most devistating action in the world.

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you're free to search the Solomon Star for a more "unbiased" article. You asked if "they" were opposing dolphin hunting in other countries, well the answer seems to be yes.

you forgot this part sakurala

The combination of the death of the trainer at Sea World and seeing the movie The Cove has made Porter, after 21 years in the captive aquarium business, have a change of heart.

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If you haven't watched it, don't comment. Form your own opinion after watching, not tainted by the 'stuff' you've read.

Don't think,...watch first, then think.

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sakurala - Maybe by then, the Cove producers will have made more films of other countries killing dolphins for food and spinning it to make it sound like it is the most devistating action in the world.

Boo, hoo! Japanese, aren't you? What's up? Is your shame turning to anger? Or, is the mercury you have been consuming starting to effect your sense of reality?

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Disillusioned

Mr. Dog - that 'few dolphins' you are referring to is over 20,000 animals per year and Taiji is only one of quite a few throughout Japan where dolphin hunting is commonplace.

the article and the film are about Taiji.

and Taiji is only one of quite a few throughout Japan where dolphin hunting is commonplace.

...and Japan is only one quite a few countries who hunt dolphins.

This Flipper guy and his buddies are just trolling. Other countries do it too, so are they going to take their "stars" and go play frizbee there too. If they don't then they're just trolls wanting publicity for their film.

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debitto - I saw the movie, and I just couldnt take it seriously. It was SO incredibly one sided, and I did not think it was an accurate depiction of what really happens in Taiji.

Why do you think such things should not be allowed Dibitto? What is so special about dolphins that it deserves the weight of Americas hammer coming down on Taiji? I personally think America has an awful lot of Animal rights issues they need to resolve before they come beating on Japan...

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and I did not think it was an accurate depiction of what really happens in Taiji.

could we deal in specifics here?

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could we deal in specifics here?

Dolphin killed for meat, white man sad

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Maybe someone needs to check the employment record of O'Barry. Something tells me there is something that triggered this man's psyche that made him come to Taiji. I usually find it hard to beleive when people go around publicly claiming "oh the poor dolphins, the poor ...". Only in teenager's fictional stories, characters defy law to save animals. Aniston and the like would do anything for money and publicity. Showbiz persons adopt children from Africa, and do not stop to think that there are needy children in their own country. So publicity stunts are only to fool the masses.

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If you haven't watched it, don't comment. Form your own opinion after watching, not tainted by the 'stuff' you've read.

During the Q&A time at Waka U last week, the students who spoke were almost evenly divided between those supporting Mr. O'Barry and those unconvinced by his views. But every one who expressed a dissenting opinion always prefaced their remarks by saying they respected Mr. O'Barry's passion and they understood where he was coming from because they had seen the film.

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But Kobekid, there are many terrible people in the world who have done terrible things whose passion and genius I "respect" but it does not make it right.

"NationalistRE at 06:58 PM JST - 16th June could we deal in specifics here? Dolphin killed for meat, white man sad"

Thats exactly it in a nutshell NationalistRE - It is a movie designed to play on the "bad" Japanese doing terrible things to the cute little dolphins, and the goodies (The white guys) rushing in to save them.

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shufu,

you claim that there are inaccuracies in the film and when I ask for clarification you come up with second hand snark,

"NationalistRE at 06:58 PM JST - 16th June could we deal in specifics here? Dolphin killed for meat, white man sad" Thats exactly it in a nutshell NationalistRE

when you've got some factual, detailed criticisms let me know.

From today's Japan Times,

The 70-year-old activist indicated that he hopes such a trip to Taiji would lead to an understanding between residents, including the handful of fishermen who conduct the dolphin hunt, and people who oppose it, saying, "I want to show people what's right about Taiji."

O'Barry said he hopes to see a similar documentary on the Taiji issue made not "from a Westerner's point of view" but by Japanese filmmakers and journalists, so more people in Japan can be made aware of the issue.

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Unfortunately, Japanese have a long tradition of downplaying historical events that could damage national pride. Just look at the textbook controversy, for example, which is in the news again, I see. Japanese journalists just don't have the freedom (or the balls) to document facts as they see them. It's the old saying we hear over and over again here, "The nail that sticks out..."

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Japanese see dolphins as a food source. But americans, more civilized people, always search for military usefulness.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/sep/25/usa.theobserver

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Sakurala, Shufu: Dont say this is America bringing down the hammer. These are American treehuggers and their has been celebrity supporters doing this. Im American and I dont support these treehuggers. When I was in Japan I ate whale and loved it. When I go visit again, if I am lucky enough to find a place that serves whale I will enjoy it again. I have never seen dolphine though but if I did, Im sure I will eat it. Also, not to sound mean but as can see the general public here pay no attention to Japan. :P

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But almost japanese don.t eat dolphin meat so i dont understand why they kill all that dolphin... I believe in that movie, and i think the taiji.s people hate foreigners not all population maybe but yes the people who appear in the movie, i think they felt like foreigners were looking for something which was bad for japanese society and they tried to hide it...as you can see in the film. Of course there are many countries who do that, but the must to start choosing one, and if they chosed Taiji there will be somoe reason i think, am i wrong?

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"Japanese have a long tradition of downplaying historical events that could damage national pride"

Well, not having vast resources that they can waste and despoil within their own borders, many Japanese feel that national pride is all the separates them from, say, Azerbaijan or Tonga. Just saying.

And other countries do this "downplaying" plenty. They are just a lot better at it. There should be an olympics for changing history. I am thinking Japan would not make the top ten in the medal count.

Anyway, I do not see how making dolphins a HOT ISSUE is going to stop the slaughter. I am not sure that political pressure is going to stop this. Has anyone looked at animal cruelty statutes and prosecuting and hindering these people? There must be some way to bury them in paperwork, if even by making them register to use public beaches, etc. The Hollywood approach is great for educating people, but by definition it panders to people with the attention span of a housefly. Some good lawyering, campaign contributions, and red tape could probably cut the slaughter in half. Someone should start buying up local residences and start new industries there. Open free eikaiwa there to win hearts and minds and get the message to the young people. Pack the beaches with tourists during slaughter season to make it physically impossible for the slaughterers to do what they do. No fights, just standing kind of in their way in bikinis or even PETA-nude, vomiting amid all the carnage and generally messing things up. The nudity would get the police involved, and yippee... a few dolphins will get away to live another day.

Oh well. Just saying that counting on Hollywood to finish the game is probably a mistake. Five or six people working full time along all avenues could finish the job.

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klein i think the same as you.

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