Whaling demo at NZ embassy.
Japanese protesters say it's anti-whaling activists who should be punished and demand action against Sea Shepherd Conservationists.
Script:
A whaling protest in Japan.
But these demonstrators outside New Zealand's embassy in Tokyo
aren't against catching whales for their meat.
The protesters are calling on the New Zealand government to stop
providing support for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose
boat, the Ady Gill, collided with Japanese whalers in early
January.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE ACTIVIST SHUHEI NISHIMURA:
"We demand New Zealand stop assisting Sea Shepherd and take away
the Ady Gill vessel's ship registry. That's where we'll start our
dialogue"
Clashes between Japanese whalers and Sea Shepherd have become an
annual feature of the hunt for whales in Antarctic waters.
The protesters demanded apologies from the New Zealand
government, and delivered a letter to the embassy.
Activists tried to hand a can of whale meat to a staff member,
but she immediately refused it.
Protesters also said the International Whaling Commission's
restrictions on whaling discriminate against Japan.
(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE ACTIVIST SHUHEI NISHIMURA:
"The IWC meeting, led by Caucasians, have decided that we can no
longer eat this meat. This clearly is racial discrimination against
Japan and the Japanese food culture."
"Ady Gil" captain Pete Bethune climbed onto a Japanese whaling
ship in February in an attempt to make a citizen's arrest of the
skipper.
Bethune was handed over to Japan's Coast Guard and is currently
heading back to Japan for further investigation.
Simon Hanna, Reuters.