Tokyo, Japan, November 10, 2009 -- Just 48 hours before new Prime Minister Hatoyama plays host to US President Barack Obama, Greenpeace activists unveiled a large whale sculpture outside the Japanese Diet, to remind both heads of state to uphold their respective election promises to end corruption and waste, as well as so-called "scientific" whaling. A new review of government spending in Japan is a significant opportunity to achieve both goals and in the process enable Japan to also redeem its international reputation.
Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, known as the Tokyo Two, are on trial for intercepting a box of whale meat as part of an investigation of an embezzlement ring within the Japanese whaling program. The Supreme Court is about to make a decision on the disclosure of key evidence that could further prove the embezzlement scandal and, in turn, the Tokyo Two's innocence.
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Tokyo, Japan, October 5, 2009 -- Greenpeace is taking whaling all the way to Japan's Supreme Court today, following a decision by the Sendai High Court to reject an appeal for the disclosure of key evidence in the trial of activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki.
Yukio Hatoyama, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), has taken the unprecedented step by pledging to cut Japan's greenhouse gas emissions by 25% from 1990 levels by 2020. While many rejoice in this show of true leadership the climate issue has not seen before in a world leader from a developed country, many in the industry sector are already building a strong resistance to making the changes that are desperately needed.
Send you support now to incoming Prime Minister Hatoyama to stand firm against the opposition from industry and demand President Obama follow suit when they meet at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change on September 22nd and 23rd.
We can achieve 25% easily! The policy changes and steps needed to produce such a 25% cut on emissions by 2020 are explained in Greenpeace's Energy Scenario for Japan, published last year, available on http://www.energyblueprint.info/japan.0.html
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Lead counsel for the Tokyo Two defence, Yuichi Kaido, responds to journalists during the press conference following the June 17 pre-trial hearing. ©Greenpeace/Greg McNevin
Aomori, Japan, June 17, 2009 -- The latest pre-trial meeting in the prosecution of Greenpeace Japan staff members, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, has revealed information contradicting claims made by the whaling industry.
Tokyo, Japan May, 2009 -- Two British-flagged vessels, the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Heron, arrived in Japan from France carrying 1.7 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, held in 69 assemblies of MOX (mixed plutonium and uranium oxide) fuel. This is the world's largest shipment of plutonium ever undertaken.
Read More (Press release May 18th, 2009)
Aomori, Japan, May 15, 2009 -- The Aomori district court today delivered a setback to the Japanese government's attempts to cover up an embezzlement scandal in the so-called "scientific" Southern Ocean whaling programme. The court has agreed to hear key evidence the prosecution has fought to keep out of the trial of Greenpeace activists Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki.
2009/04/14, Shimonoseki, Japan: Greenpeace Japan activist Mai Suzuki
holds up a placard reading: "SOUTHERN OCEAN WHALING: COVER-UPS, LIES
1.2B YEN IN TAXES" in front of the factory whaling ship, the Nisshin
Maru. Greenpeace is calling for all charges against Junichi Sato and
Toru Suzuki to be dropped, and for an end to whaling in the Southern
Ocean. (c)Greenpeace
Shimonoseki, Japan, April 14, 2009 -- : Greenpeace today met the returning Japanese whaling fleet factory ship, the Nisshin Maru, with placards reading "Southern Ocean Whaling: Cover-ups, lies, 1.2 billion yen in taxes". The environmental organisation also sought to document the offloading of the ships cargo of whale meat, the by-product of the so-called scientific hunt in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, which is chopped and boxed on board the factory ship ready for market.
(c)Greenpeace
Tokyo, March 23, 2009 --Greenpeace today released three key witness statements in support of anti-whaling campaigners Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki – who are facing trial for exposing a major embezzlement scandal in the Japanese government funded whaling programme.
(c)Greenpeace/J.S.Hibbert
Tokyo, March 19, 2009 -- Greenpeace today lodged an appeal against government censorship, calling on the Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ) to release uncensored copies of whale meat sales documents obtained by Greenpeace through a 2008 Freedom of Information request.
The new president at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. (C) Greenpeace/Tim Aubry
The world has waited a long time for America to return to global leadership. Today's historic inauguration begins a moment of great potential – it is President Obama's moment to seize.

Innoshima, Japan -- Our activists marked the departure of Japan's whaling fleet from the port of Innoshima with banners declaring "Whaling on Trial" and another in Japanese outlining the whaling operation's multi-million dollar drain on Japan's taxpayers. The fleet had attempted to leave for the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary unnoticed, by canceling their traditional high-profile departure ceremony in Shimonoseki. Instead, the factory ship Nisshin Maru left with no fanfare, waved off only by the crew's families and whaling officials.
humpback whale(C) Greenpeace / Paul Hilton
International - Despite the moratorium on commercial whaling, the Japanese government continues to send a fleet of ships to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to kill over a thousand whales. Each season, the fleet departs for the Sanctuary and more whales needlessly die.

Nintendo's Wii. Sony's PlayStation 3 Elite. Microsoft's Xbox 360. They promise a whole new generation of high-definition gaming, but when it comes to the crunch, it's the same old story. As our search for greener electronics continues, it was time for the game consoles to go to our labs for scientific analysis - and all of them tested positive for various hazardous chemicals.
Read More Clash of the Consoles
Tokyo, May 15th 2008: A box of whale meat illicitly removed by crew of the Nisshin Maru, the whaling factory ship, following this year's Southern Ocean whale hunt was put on display by Greenpeace activists in Tokyo this morning, prior to being handed over to the Public Prosecutor's office in Tokyo as evidence of wide-scale corruption at the heart of the Japanese government-backed, sham scientific whaling operation in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
(C) Greenpeace
With its technological prowess, Japan has the skill, knowledge and opportunity to lead the world in an Energy [R]evolution. Then why is Japan still investing its time and resources in expanding its nuclear capability, even developing a plutonium fuel cycle, putting a block on a clean and safe future for the country?
Rokkasho, the infamous reprocessing plant in Aomori, on the northern tip of Japan's main island is expected to finally be given the go-ahead for full scale commercial operation. After twenty years of construction, setbacks and delays, the plant is nearing its final stage of test-operation. The last step is for the Governor of Aomori to sign a so-called "safety agreement" and give the plant's operator his seal of approval. If the Governor does not sign the agreement, Rokkasho will remain offline and Japan can start the Energy[R]evolution!
No consent, no nuclear reprocessing plant!
Send your voice to the Governor of Aomori Prefecture today!
Ten years ago on December 11th in Kyoto, Japan, we celebrated a groundbreaking international agreement by the world's Governments to reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Central to that agreement was how the Governments would work together to achieve such a reduction - its aims and objectives were discussed and agreed at the third United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP3) in Kyoto in 1997; that international procedure to save the world's climate is the Kyoto Protocol.
Kyoto Protocol - Many Happy Returns!
Greenpeace delivered 30,313 messages from people all over the world saying "Stop the Impact Assessment and save the dugongs" to the Bureau of Defence Policy in Okinawa and to the Ministry of Environment in Tokyo.
Naha, Okinawa, 26 September, 2007 - The Greenpeace ship, MY Esperanza, and her crew arrived in Naha, Okinawa, today to join local people protesting the construction of two runways for the United States Marine Corps based at Henoko, which threatens the home and feeding grounds of the last remaining 12 dugongs in Japan.
A plan to build an airstrip for US marines over a delicate reef in Okinawa is now underway. If built, the airstrip will destroy the underwater ecosystem of Henoko - home and feeding grounds of the last 12 dugongs left in Japan. (Deadline 26th September, 2007)
Press release
Send your messages now to stop the air base, save the Dugong
NGOs demanded that there be greater international accountability from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) improve its transparency surrounding the impact of the Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. (September 7, 2007)
Ten years ago on December 11th in Kyoto, Japan, we celebrated a groundbreaking international agreement by the world's Governments to reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Central to that agreement was how the Governments would work together to achieve such a reduction - its aims and objectives were discussed and agreed at the third United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP3) in Kyoto in 1997; that international procedure to save the world's climate is the Kyoto Protocol.
Kyoto Protocol - Many Happy Returns!
Greenpeace delivered 30,313 messages from people all over the world saying "Stop the Impact Assessment and save the dugongs" to the Bureau of Defence Policy in Okinawa and to the Ministry of Environment in Tokyo.
Naha, Okinawa, 26 September, 2007 - The Greenpeace ship, MY Esperanza, and her crew arrived in Naha, Okinawa, today to join local people protesting the construction of two runways for the United States Marine Corps based at Henoko, which threatens the home and feeding grounds of the last remaining 12 dugongs in Japan.
A plan to build an airstrip for US marines over a delicate reef in Okinawa is now underway. If built, the airstrip will destroy the underwater ecosystem of Henoko - home and feeding grounds of the last 12 dugongs left in Japan. (Deadline 26th September, 2007)
Press release
Send your messages now to stop the air base, save the Dugong
NGOs demanded that there be greater international accountability from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) improve its transparency surrounding the impact of the Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant. (September 7, 2007)
Distress call from the Nisshin Maru
(Feb.15 2007)
Ready To Tow Stricken Japanese Whaling Ship Out of Danger and Prevent Potential Environmental Disaster in Antarctica
Esperanza ready to tow the Nisshin Maru out of danger - and prevent environmental disaster
(Feb.16 2007)
12 February 2007, Southern Ocean
This afternoon the Esperanza received a distress call from the Japanese
whaling fleet's unarmed sighting vessel, the Kaiko Maru.
The Esperanza offered immediate assistance, heading at full speed to
their position.
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Sixty years after the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Rokkasho reprocessing plant is scheduled to soon begin separating plutonium from Japan's spent nuclear fuel. Once fully operational, the plant will produce weapons-usable plutonium, which can be made into about 1000 Nagasaki-type nuclear bombs.
Wings of Peace,
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We are looking for a person who can provide creative, ambitious leadership, moving Greenpeace Japan forward to make a significant contribution in saving the global and Japanese environment. Is that you, or somebody you know ? Details
California's landmark regulations to control greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles is under attack from auto industry organizations, which filed a lawsuit together with car dealers against the California Air Resources Board demanding the roll-back of of new climate protecting regulations.
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| © Greenpeace/Herikichi Hantaikyo |
Non violent civil disobedience protests against the building of a U.S.
Marine Corps air station off shore from the small port of Henoko, Okinawa Japan are on-going.
Activists have been successful so far to prevent drilling of test holes into the sensitive coral reef about half a kilometer off-shore.
The plan to build a 2600 meter runway complete with hangers, control towers and fuel storage on an off-shore reef is a throw-back to an earlier period of dis-respect for the environmental value of ocean eco-systems. The planned expenditure of over a billion dollars of Japanese taxpayers money for a US military base has aroused widespread popular discontent in Okinawa, where US military bases occupy over 25% of the land mass.
Cyberaction SAVE the Dugong, STOP the Air-Base
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U.S. uranium loaded into controversial Japanese plutonium reprocessing plant Greenpeace calls for cancellation of dangerous program.
Protestors from Greenpeace, and other NGO's, demonstrate in a blizzard at the gates of the Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, December 21 2004, against the tests and reprocessing of Depleted Uranium.
Press release
Slide show
The slaughter of Iraqi civilians by US forces continues at this very moment. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Koizumi prolonged the one-year deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces on December 9. Greenpeace Japan participated together with many citizens' organizations and individulas in a rally and parade to stop this unfair war!
Organizer: WORLD PEACE NOW
October 20, 2004 Tokyo - As the super-sized Typhoon Tokage (Typhoon 23) is about to hit Japan's capitol city, the record 10th to hit mainland Japan in one season, the international environmental group Greenpeace will hold an outdoor press conference in the storm, demanding that the Japanese government take further action to combat dangerous climate change and promote renewable energy.
Press release (Oct.20 2004)
Slide show
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From the front of Asahi Breweries's headquarter |
Japan's premier beer company Asahi Breweries today announced it will suspend the introduction of a newly developed PET bottle which the company had previously announced on July 8, Asahi communicated its decision to Greenpeace Japan. The announcement has been posted on Asahi's website already.
Greenpeace Japan had a demonstration on September 2, 2004 with a life-size photo-banner of a Tasmanian tree-stump at the headquarters of Oji Paper Co. and Nippon Paper Industries Co.
Twenty volunteers including Sakyo, Japanese activists who were at Global Rescue Station in Tasmania for five months, walked around in Tokyo being a tree with a brown T-shirts & green "leaf"lets.
The Styx Valley, Tasmania, houses some of the world's tallest hardwood trees.
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These ancient forests are now under threat. The Regional Forest Agreement signed by the Tasmanian Government in 1997 failed to protect these precious areas. Instead, the Styx forest is being clear-felled for woodchips and the Tarkine is also about to be logged. Gunns Pty Ltd is the woodchip company responsible for the destruction of old growth forests in Tasmania and it exports the majority of its woodchips to Japan.
Please help us save these precious areas by sending your messages to three paper manufacuturing companies in Japan to asking them not to buy any woodchips from Gunns sourced from old growth forests.
Cyberaction to save Tasmanian forests
On March 20, cold and rainy Tokyo, more than thirty thousands people
has joined on Peace Parade, saying NO WAR!
Our slide show
On February 15th last year, 30 million people were on the streets to say "No" to war. The centreless coalition of groups and individuals who organised those activities want YOU and YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS back on the street this Saturday, March 20th, to demonstrate that we STILL say "No" to war.
One year will have passed since the invasion of Iraq began. We can't stand silent.
Be a part of the second superpower. Stand up against future illegal, preemptive wars and protest the continuing suppression of human rights and free speech which have characterised this one. Help us get the word out that we're making a second showing on Saturday, March 20th. Photo Mobile Weblog
Urgent safety assessment required for Asia's largest plutonium facility Feb 27, 2004
Greenpeace Japan won the Eco Goo Website Excellence Award Dec. 18, 2003
Kamikatsu-cho Zero Waste Program Declaration Sep 19, 2003
Japanese version of the joint EWEA-Greenpeace report-"Wind Force 12" launched today Sep 08, 2003
Greenpeace Japan finds roads to Zero Waste in local communities July 22, 2003
Greenpeace Japan's "No War - Color-me peace placard" wins prestigious Dentsu Advertising Award June 4, 2003
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March 20 in front of US Embassy, Tokyo©Greenpeace/Sutton-Hilbbert |
Stop the war against Iraq Slide show March 20/21, 2003 Slide show March 8, 2003 Press release March 8, 2003 War is the greatest environmental catastrophe of all. We can stop the war. Visit our Action kit to stop the war page No war slide show |
The FACTSHEET
"Basic facts you should know before discussing the whaling issue"