Resort of Okinawa brings death to its golden beaches

Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It occupies the southern part of the Nansei (Southwest) chain of islands which stretches over 1,200 km from the southern tip of Kyushu to within 100 km of Taiwan.

Okinawa prefecture consists of around 160 of these islands, 46 inhabited. The prefecture takes its name from the largest and most populous of the three groups of islands that form it, the other two being the Miyako and Yaeyama group. The Okinawa group is centered on the largest island in the prefecture, Okinawa Island; the Miyako group on Miyako Island; and the Yaeyama group on Ishigaki Island.

But don´t be misguided by the tourist guide image. The city has recently re-commenced dolphin hunting.

Nago hunted dolphins 20 years ago but the barbaric practice was stopped due to opposition by conservation groups and bad publicity the city received for allowing these hunts.

However, the practice is still alive, as a small percentage of fishermen still retain licences to kill dolphins. A few days ago, around 100 dolphins appeared off Nago Bay which resulted in six boats setting out to sea and the fishermen driving the dolphins into the bay, where they were slaughtered.

This is a sad reflection on Japan´s attitude towards the continued and rising international condemnation of drive hunts in the country. Despite the fact that the number of dolphins killed in this instance was lower than the hunts conducted in Taiji where the number of dolphins slaughtered reaches in excess of 20,000, the practice is equally inhumane and unnecessary.

Yet the world stands by and does nothing. One marine conservation charity has spoken out. The Marine Connection (www.marineconnection.org) condemns this expansion of drive hunts in Japan and is calling on the authorities at Nago abolish the hunt with immediate effect.

But will the world listen? Just don´t go there on your holidays!