Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister of Japan
1-6-1 Nagata-cho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
100-8968 JAPAN

Director General of Fisheries Agency
Masanori Sato
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
100-8950 JAPAN

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Akira Gunji
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
100-8950 JAPAN

Dear Sirs:

The letter below was sent to the current, relevant, senior members of the Japanese government and bureaucracy on the 23rd May 2012 by the then President of the Society of Marine Mammalogy, Dr Randall Wells, on behalf of the Board of Governors of the Society. This professional Society consists of some two thousand scientists from 60 countries and is dedicated to the study, understanding, and conservation of marine mammals and their ecosystems.

The letter can also be accessed from the Society’s website see http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=65&Itemid=183

At the time of writing, the Board had recently reviewed information on the dolphin and small whale hunts in Japan. On behalf of the Board and Society, Dr Wells conveyed our serious concern regarding the sustainability of those hunts and requested clarification on a number of points as outlined in his letter.

As this is a matter of great interest to the members of the Society, I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience, please.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Helene Marsh
President

[Letter to Japanese Government Regarding Dolphin and Small Whale Hunts included]