PASAY CITY –A coalition of wildlife advocates, animal welfare groups, and fisherfolk united in a march to the Japanese Embassy, voicing vehement opposition to the resumption of the Dolphin Dive Hunt Season.
The demonstrators issued a resounding call for the Japanese government to take immediate action and cease the decade-long practice of the Taiji Dolphin Drive hunt, which spans a six-month season from September 1 to February 2024.
The Taiji Dolphin Hunting season, deeply ingrained in Japan’s cultural heritage, has faced increasing scrutiny due to the slaughter of whales and dolphins to meet public demand for meat consumption.
These hunts are authorized by the Japan Fisheries Agency and are subject to annual allocations based on specific species classifications.
In addition to the protest against the dolphin hunts, activists also condemned the contentious discharge of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant into the Pacific Ocean.
While Japan maintains that the treated and diluted water is safe for release, the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly affirmed that the Japanese government’s plan adheres to international standards and warrants no concerns. (BENJIE CUARESMA/AI/MNM)
