Dolphin Meat: Request for Warning Label

Each year, more than 20,000 dolphins and other small whales are killed and slaughtered in Japan. The official reason for the killing of dolphins is to provide the Japanese people with dolphin meat. "Eating dolphins is part of our culture," the dolphin hunters have told us again and again. But very few people in Japan actually eat the meat.

Ignoring the fact that dolphin meat is highly contaminated with mercury, the Japanese government introduced dolphin and whale meat to children's school lunch programs, in what we see as a rather desperate attempt to support their argument that the Japanese dolphin slaughter in an issue of food culture. The government had to pull the meat from the lunch programs, however, when the scandalous facts about mercury contamination were publicized. The killing of dolphins must stop. The Japanese people have a right to know that the dolphin meat distributed to their super markets is poisonous.

We demand that a label be placed on each and every package of dolphin meat, warning the Japanese consumers of the serious health hazards associated with mercury consumption.

You can help accomplish our goal.

Please write a respectful, short letter to Ms. Seiko Noda, Japan's Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Science and Technology. Her e-mail address is: seiko@noda-seiko.gr.jp

Please CC The World Health Organization:

Dr. Maria NEIRA, Director
Department of Public Health and Environment
World Health Organization
E-mail: neiram@who.int