Protests over film of dolphin slaughter
Source: Agencies |
April 10, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
DOZENS of activists protested yesterday outside the office of a Japanese distributor of the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove," demanding that the gory portrayal of dolphin hunting in Japan not be shown in the country.
"The Cove" won this year's best documentary Oscar with its depiction of dolphin hunts in Taiji, a small fishing village of 3,500 people in western Japan.
The protesters accused the distributor of betraying Japanese national pride by supporting the film, which they see as insulting to traditional village culture of which dolphin hunting is part.
"Traitor! Money scavenger! Shame on you!" Shuhei Nishimura, who led yesterday's protest, shouted outside the Tokyo office of the distributor, Unplugged Inc.
He demanded a meeting with the company president, while about 30 protesters held up signs saying "Crash the showing of anti-Japanese film 'The Cove'," and urging the Japanese to "be angry."
Nishimura handed a statement to a company employee, who declined to comment or be identified. Unplugged President Takeshi Kato did not show up.
"We will block the distribution of the movie and we will protect this country," Nishimura said. "If the country does not protect the life, spirit and pride of its people, we will have to protect them by ourselves."
The film, directed by Louie Psihoyos, has not yet been released in Japan, but it will start showing in June at 20 to 30 theaters nationwide.
Unplugged had said it planned to obscure the faces of the Japanese fishermen in Taiji to protect their privacy.
"The Cove" won this year's best documentary Oscar with its depiction of dolphin hunts in Taiji, a small fishing village of 3,500 people in western Japan.
The protesters accused the distributor of betraying Japanese national pride by supporting the film, which they see as insulting to traditional village culture of which dolphin hunting is part.
"Traitor! Money scavenger! Shame on you!" Shuhei Nishimura, who led yesterday's protest, shouted outside the Tokyo office of the distributor, Unplugged Inc.
He demanded a meeting with the company president, while about 30 protesters held up signs saying "Crash the showing of anti-Japanese film 'The Cove'," and urging the Japanese to "be angry."
Nishimura handed a statement to a company employee, who declined to comment or be identified. Unplugged President Takeshi Kato did not show up.
"We will block the distribution of the movie and we will protect this country," Nishimura said. "If the country does not protect the life, spirit and pride of its people, we will have to protect them by ourselves."
The film, directed by Louie Psihoyos, has not yet been released in Japan, but it will start showing in June at 20 to 30 theaters nationwide.
Unplugged had said it planned to obscure the faces of the Japanese fishermen in Taiji to protect their privacy.
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