Freedom of the Press
In reporting events concerning the slaughter of the dolphins at Taiji, Japan and the illegal killing of the whales by the Antarctic whaling fleet, we often use Japanese media reports as sources of information.
We have received a complaint from one journalist for the Japan Times who has expressed concern that our use of his articles on our website compromises his objectivity. He has requested that we post a statement from him that he is an independent journalist and is not affiliated in any way with Sea Shepherd.
We did post information from his articles without permission of the writer or the publication because it is our belief that this information is public domain. He has requested that we delete his name from any postings on our website that would imply that he may be contributing articles to us directly. We will certainly do so.
We recognize that the Japanese government is becoming increasingly paranoid as international attention continues to build concerning their barbaric slaughter of dolphins and whales. We recognize that the Japanese government may be looking for scapegoats and the media is always the most convenient scapegoat. We hope that this paranoia does not erode the freedom of the press in Japan. It will solve nothing to attack the messenger.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society apologies for any implication that suggests that articles and information we post on our website may imply support for Sea Shepherd activities or principles by the journalists or publications that we obtained the articles or information from.
The message from the journalist is posted below:
To: Mr. Paul Watson
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
I am a contributing investigative correspondent for the Japan Times and have seen my name mentioned in news accounts posted under Sea Shepherd's Taiji dolphin Campaign. Much of the material was taken from Japan Times online articles including interviews I conducted with government officials and Japanese scientists related to high mercury levels in small cetacean food products. The specific news accounts were posted 12/19/05 and 08//03/07. Please delete my name from any news accounts posted by Sea Shepherd.
All of my articles related to Japan's dolphin hunts are the result of objective reporting and I do not sanction any conservation organization or government agency involved in this activity. Since there seems to be a Japanese media taboo on the dolphin hunts and related issues, it may appear as though the Japan Times and this reporter are somehow promoting this issue to benefit the efforts of some organizations opposed to the Japanese drive fisheries. If this were true, our credibility as journalists would be seriously flawed.
We always follow a neutral position in our reporting. An editorial committee oversees final approval of any of our articles which are always vigorously checked for dead-on accuracy. The basic tenets of good journalism is to focus the spotlight on issues that may affect the welfare of the public. Accordingly we have highlighted the high mercury levels we have found in dolphin meat in order to raise the awareness of the health hazards involved in the consumption of small cetacean food products. We are not in the PR business and do not seek to promote the agenda of any organization and have no affiliation with any conservation groups nor do we accept donations from any of these groups. I have been a journalist for almost 50 years and have never, nor will I ever, alter or delete any facts from an article based on my personal views nor is it my job to characterize any organization in a positive or negative way, but only report the facts. I personally do not support, nor am I a member of, any conservation organization. In line with maintaining truth in reporting, we are following, in the true spirit of Japan's Constitutional Article 21, the pursuit of news events unimpeded by censorship which is prohibited under the article's mandates and guarantees of a Free Press in Japan. |
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