Post again Dear Everyone, At first, I must emphasize that I am absolutely against dolphin hunting no matter what happens to the earth. Please understand it. Please let me explain why I have that opinion. Many people have been visited Taiji and expressed their feelings against dolphin hunting there. They have the freedom of choice to do and say what they want as long as they abide by Japanese laws. But I cannot understand what they mean and question why people take the stance that they do. Fishermen have their families and their lives there and this is how they survive. And they do not exceed the quota. I do not think they are enjoying killing them. I have killed many dolphins in my life before, but I have never ever enjoyed it even once. Every time I was killing dolphins I was apologizing to them and repeating “I am sorry” in my mind. The fishermen’s is purpose to catch dolphins are to complete their jobs. Even you go to the venue and protest against dolphin hunting, they will not stop it. There are also people who sell dolphin meat, and that is their job. Here, I would like to make some suggestions. It is important to express anti-dolphin hunting opinions to the Japanese central government or the prefectural governments. The annual quotas are given by them. If you continue pressing them and succeed, the number of quotas will decrease. But, the Japanese government has to create a compensation plan to fishermen. If the quota is shrunk by a government decision, the government has to find a way to support fishermen. The Japanese government has already been paying compensation to farmers. So, they should be able to do the same thing to fishermen. If the fishermen give up on catching dolphins by themselves, nobody will pay any compensation to them, they will not stop hunting no matter how much the activists protest. Let me ask you, can you provide for them the rest of their lives? That is a long-term compensation and the amount of money is huge. That is why it is important and the best way is to encourage the central government to decrease the quota and having them pay compensations to the fishermen. There is one more consideration. Compensation is necessary for meat buyers also. My suggestion to solve this problem is that the government should encourage dolphin watching and give the meats buyers the rights to sell Dolphin-watching tickets. To succeed with this conversion from hunting to watching, you just need to shift your enthusiasm against hunting to support the Dolphin-watching business. It is time to convert. You must convert your enthusiasm against hunting to the support of Dolphin-watching business. This way you can help dolphins without meeting unnecessary resistance and spending any money. Do you understand my suggestions? What do you think? I also have heard that some people are making money by acting against dolphin hunting. If that is the case, it is very sinful by profiting against someone’s work. I also think that my success in Dolphin-watching is really important. Having been a hunter for many years, I have devoted my life to Dolphin-watching. I am saying this to you above, but if I fail at the Dolphin-watching business, all of the Taiji people will not be interested in the Dolphin-watching business. I think I have been failing in this business by now. I have been accumulating debts during the past 10 years and I could not make my family happy. I am not optimistic to continue having debts over many years. And I have to think something to survive. It will be a difficult way, I know. But look at the thousands of millions of dolphins’ agony who are killed. They did not resist to people. They never fought back against the hunters. Compared to their bitterness, sorrow, and grief, my difficulty is nothing. Because I am still alive and I thank to so many people in the world encourages me. I am alive today. When I see the ocean and the sun, I am grateful and appreciative. Again, I am against hunting dolphins and whales. Izumi Ishii Kohkaimaru PS. If I am invited to speak (with my interpreter), I am willing to go anywhere in the world to give a speech. I can talk about the ocean, dolphins and whales and other animals, and my experiences in front of people. Please allow me to come to your country!
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:21:43 +0000