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My name is Sakyo, I was the action coordinator of Greenpeace Japan until last week but now I'm on the Esperanza as a Japanese campaigner.

I feel really responsible for this campaign as a Japanese person. This whaling operation is run by the Japanese Government, which has been spreading propaganda about how the anti-whaling voice of foreign countries is all about 'being anti-Japanese' or 'Japan-bashing'. This has creates a nationalistic reaction internally, in Japan and portrays us (the people who try to save the whales, like you and me) as enemies.

So my role on board the Esperanza will be to try and correct these misconceptions by letting the Japanese people know what the whaling fleet is actually doing in 'our Sanctuary' .

Surprisingly, a recent poll shows that 92% of Japanese people don't know that the fleet hunts over 900 whales, including 10 endangered species, within the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

At the same time, since the Japanese Government has been misleading the people outside Japan, saying that 'whalemeat is a popular meal choice', I have to tell you - this is not true and most Japanese people very rarely eat, or have never eaten whale meat. It's not what the majority of Japanese people want, but only a tiny number of people in the Fisheries bureaucracy who want it, in order to maintain their longterm interests.

When everybody in Japan understands why this whaling is unacceptable, and who is doing it, then finally we can put real pressure on the Japanese Government to save the whales!

By the way, I was remembering the first time I watched Greenpeace on TV, bearing witness to the dumping of the nuclear waste in the sea near Japan. I was only a kid and didn't really know about conservation but I remember I thought 'oh my god, if Greenpeace isn't there, things could have gone really bad'

And this whaling activity is similar to that nuclear dumping, 'doing dodgy things somewhere behind us where people can't see' But we, Greenpeace using our fastest ship, will find them and witness all of their activities wherever they are! And with our committed activists, we'll defend as many as whales we can.

Let's go and do our best together!

-Sakyo

Good Luck Sakyo!!! GAMBATTE NE!!! I hope everyone enjoys the oishii (vegetarian) Japanese food onboard!
Have lots of Ginger and Lemon for sea sickness..

Bravo - great work - am proud of your effort

Hi Sakyo!! Good luck and be careful out there. I am so happy for your participation!

Hello Sakyo.
My Name is Naomi, and I am an old friend of Karli's from Golden Bay. I taught English in Japan for two years from 2002-2004, in Kochi City, on Shikoku.

While i was there i did a lot of research on the net about whale and dolphin hunting in Japan, and was appalled to see what was going on there.
Even some of the more conservative members of my office were shocked to see photos of dolphins being hunted, and most of them had no idea it was going on. So i am really pleased to read your message and wish you all the best with this campaign, and with getting your message out to the Japanese public. When I lived in Kochi I taught in over 20 elementary and middle schools. therefore I had many opportunities to draw attention to the whaling issue, and showed pictures of NZ whale watching during my introduction to each new class. I also taught the kids the Maaori whale song "Tahora nui", but translated it into Japanese too. You could see if Karli knows it -maybe she can teach you!
Do you have a contact on Ecosig -they are the environmental group within the JET programme. I'm sure they would be keen to have you or someone else present a workshop for them at one of their conferences, and maybe you could organise someone to have an info stand at the JET orientaiton, as there are so many opportunities for working in with the teachers in schools and making educational resources that they could use in the classrooms etc.

Gambatte !

Naomi

Hello Naomi-san,thanks for your message.

Yes it's great to have some opportunities to tell kids about those things
and it's really important for kids to
have a fair sense of education. Then they can decide what is true or not true by themselves.

In Japan, probably we can provide some educational resources.
I'll forward this to my colleagues at the office.
Cheers,
Sakyo

Keep up your good work!

Ohayo Sakyo! Glad to see you on board, keep up the great work.

With love from GP Sweden,
Adele

Dear Sakyo,

I can see hope when I read what you have done. Japan and the world need more people like you!

Take care!
Oliva from Hong Kong

Hallo Sakyo,
I am impressed by your work for Greenpeace.

Frank, volunteer GP Netherlands

This is a good that you are doing.

Save the whales!! And save the people, too!!

Best of luck,

John Ross

Hi Sakyo,
Thank you so much for your work and words!
We are really glad you are there and can translate your message.
I have shared this story with our members.
We are watching and praying for a good conclusion and are grateful for you and your colleagues courage and wisdom.
Thank you so much for your work.
Chaplain Mary / Inter-faith Minister
Greenpeace Supporter
The Global Peace Foundation
USA

Thank you very much everyone for your warm support emails!
You really encouraged me many times.
Let's keep up the good work to end whaling in the Southern Ocean!

Cheers,
Sakyo