The outlaw whalers of Japan are ignoring world opinion and have announced they will target 260 whales in the North Pacific this summer.

The Japanese fleet of five ships has already departed for the open seas. The killing will begin within days well in advance of the International Whaling Commission meeting scheduled for St. Kitts in the Caribbean in mid-June.

With this announcement, Japan has contemptuously dismissed world opinion and has announced they will take what they want, where they want, and when they want. They have laid claim to the world's whales and they have decided they must die for research.

"This level of imperialist exploitation has not been seen since the Japanese army swept in and slaughtered the Chinese people and invaded their lands," said Founder and President of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Captain Paul Watson.

Although the Japanese claim research as their motivation, the only research they are undertaking is product development and marketing of whale meat.

Japan believes they have now purchased enough votes to overturn the moratorium on commercial whaling. If they succeed in St. Kitts next month, the oceans around the world will run red with the blood of the whales.

Japan continues to posture that the killing of whales is for scientific research and claims that this Pacific hunt is necessary to study the behavior of the whales, their role in the
environment, feeding patterns, and how they may be impacted by pollution in the ocean, the government-backed Institute of Cetacean Research said.

The whalers will be targeting piked (Minke) whales and sperm whales for this Pacific slaughter. Sperm whales are a protected species.

Sea Shepherd is concentrating on securing a fast ship to oppose the plan by Japan to kill over one thousand whales in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary in December 2006.

"Unless the Japanese are stopped," said Captain Alex Cornelissen of the Farley Mowat, "we may be seeing the beginning of the end for the great whales. Give us a ship and our crew will sail to hell and back to engage and stop the whale murderers."

For more information on how to be a part of this monumental campaign, help us secure a ship, and ensure that we are able to protect the gentle giants of Antarctica, please contact Michael Moore at michael@seashepherd.org