Junichi Toru, on of the two Japanese activists known as the “Tokyo Two” arrested for exposing corruption in the Japanese whaling industry, is also at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting.
He’s “celebrating” one year since his arrest and shares his thoughts on the IWC meeting, his upcoming trial and the future of Japanese whaling.
I was arrested on last year on 20 June for exposing the corruption in the Japanese whaling industry. One year later, here I am in Madeira, Portugal observing the 61st IWC meeting.
My bail conditions prohibit me to go abroad without a permission from the court and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This time, both of them said OK me going to Portugal!
My life has changed quite dramatically in the last year. But now, seeing the IWC again, I feel that I did not miss much. Discussions at the IWC have not advanced since. The commission is still stuck talking about the whaling
issues, despite there being much bigger issues that need to be addressed.
The trial I face offers a chance to prove, in front of Japan’s public and media, just how corrupt Japanese
scientific whaling. We are getting more and more information about the operation through this trial
process.
Junichi from Madeira
