Pressure on Solomon Islands government

Leeway Corucia Research Center (LCRC)

No Strings Attached?

(From: National Geographic :Japan Courts Poorer Nations in Bid to End Whaling Ban April 1, 2008.


...." Japan has never openly admitted that it's aid payments come with any conditions attached.

But a report from a 1987 symposium of Pacific island countries recorded a representative of the Fisheries Agency of Japan telling participants that money to support fisheries comes with certain stipulations.

"When the Japanese government selects the countries to which it provides fisheries grants, criteria include that the recipient country must have a fisheries agreement with Japan, and it must take a supportive position to Japan in various international organizations," the report states.

And at a joint press conference with Australia earlier this month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua explained why the Solomons had not sent a representative to the most recent IWC meeting in London.

"We are not attending because usually Japan pays for our attendance, but we refused their assistance and therefore we have not gone because we can't afford it," he said.

Japan denies offering such support for countries that join its pro-whaling stance.

"The government of Japan does not fund fees, travel, or accommodation expenses through the ICR [Institute of Cetacean Research] or any other agencies," said the First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy to New Zealand, Ryosuke Hirooka.

"I am not aware of any payments … to IWC members." ".

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Brian
LCRC