Request for the Ban of Export of Contaminated Whale Meat

We are a non-profit citizen’s organization that works towards the safety of citizen’s lives and the protection of civil rights. When Norwegian Government announced that they decided to lift its domestic ban on whale meat exports on January 16^th of this year, we requested you to renounce this plan due to the fact that the whale blubber may be contaminated with poisonous chemical substances hazardous to human health.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare presented a written inquiry to the Norwegian Government about the safety of the whale meat, but from what we know, there has been no response.

On the other hand, there have been reports of personnel of the Naeringsmiddletilsyn (Norwegian food industry inspection office) stating that there is indeed a significant amount of PCB in whale blubber, and that it should not be consumed. It is also said that in an interview conducted by a Norwegian NGO member, she stated that whale meat should not be consumed until investigations are done to determine its safety.

According to the results of the investigation conducted by the Norwegian research facilities, it is clear that the blubber of the whales in the Norwegian whaling district are contaminated with chemical substances in levels higher than that of the safety standards set by the Japanese government. Of course, we are determined to publicly announce this concern as often as possible, and consequently this may lead to the distrust of the Japanese public towards all Norwegian seafood products.

Just like your country, we the Japanese people have a responsibility to protect our future generations. This is why we, consumers must take a firm stand against the import of hazardous foods. We are sure that if you have children or grandchildren of your own, you will understand our view.

It is clear that the oceans of the Northern Hemisphere are highly contaminated, and this contamination has accumulated in the whales because they are at the top of the ecological food chain. We strongly request that the Norwegian Government acknowledge the fact that not only blubber but also meat that are subject to export is clearly a source of food contamination, and not to issue permissions of its export to Japan. We would appreciate your sincere consideration.

Safety First

Consumer’s Union of Japan

Food and Agriculture Network

Women's Democratic Club

Network of Local Consumer Groups, Tokyo

Contact:

Mikiko Hagiwara, Safety First

5-15-12 Toyotama-Kita, Nerima-Ku, Tokyo, Japan 176-0012

Tel&Fax: +81-3-5912-1871

E-mail:sfjapan777@aol.com