Japan strikes at Greenpeace over Whale Meat

Two Greenpeace activists have been arrested in Japan over whale meat they gave to authorities as evidence of corruption within Japan's 'scientific' whaling program.

Junichi Sato, 31, and Toru Suzuki, 41, are being investigated for allegedly stealing a box of whale meat. There were reports of up to five offices being raided by police.

Japan uses a loophole in an international moratorum on commercial whaling to hunt more than 1,000 whales each year under a 'scientific' program. Last season activists disrupted the hunt in the Antarctic and only 551 mike whales were taken.

Greenpeace Executive Director Jun Hoshikawa said: "We've uncovered a scandal involving powerful forces in the Japanese government that benefit from whaling, and it's not surprising they are striking back. What is surprising is that these activists, who are innocent of any crime, would be arrested for returning whale meat that was stolen from Japanese taxpayers. In whose interest were these arrests made? Because it would appear to us that this is an intimidation tactic by the government agencies responsible for a scandal."

"Our four-month undercover investigation revealed evidence of an embezzlement ring involving crew members on board the Nisshin Maru, who were openly taking the best cuts of whale meat during the so-called scientific hunt, smuggling it ashore disguised as personal luggage and then passing it to traders for illegal sales. "

Read the Greenpeace statement also see photos of the arrest taken by the Mainichi Daily