New U.S. Poll Shows 83% of American Voters Opposed to Japanese and Norwegian Commercial Whaling

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New U.S. Poll Shows 83% of American Voters Opposed to Japanese and Norwegian Commercial Whaling

Bi-Partisan Members of Congress Introducing Anti-Whaling Resolution on Eve of First-Ever Bush/Koizumi Meeting

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON, Jun. 26 -/E-Wire/-- U.S. voters are strongly opposed to commercial whaling by Japan and Norway and want the U.S. government to take action, say results of a new poll carried out by noted Republican pollster Fred Steeper of Market Strategies, Inc. on behalf of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

Japan kills hundreds of whales each year under the guise of what it calls "scientific whaling" and has recently expanded its hunt to include endangered Bryde's and sperm whales - whales protected by international conventions. Norway simply ignores a moratorium imposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Both countries are currently hunting whales in the northwest Pacific and the northern Atlantic oceans respectively.

The U.S. government took a strong stand against whaling in September 2000, when it threatened trade sanctions against Japan for its killing of protected whale species. As recently as last month, the Bush Administration, through a State Department public statement, sharply criticized Japan for expanding its program to kill scores of internationally protected whales in the name of research.

Congressional action is also mounting. A bi-partisan resolution is now being introduced by Congressional Representatives George Miller (D-CA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Bill Delahunt (D-MA), which calls for tough action against Japan and Norway for their continued hunting of whales.

The new poll results, being released today for the first time, show that 83% of U.S. voters are opposed to Japanese and Norwegian commercial whaling, and that nearly 70% would be supportive. U.S. government to apply trade sanctions against those countries until they stop killing whales. A strong 72% of U.S. voters would support a boycott of Japanese and Norwegian companies linked to commercial whaling.

This news and congressional action comes only days before U.S. President George Bush's planned meeting with newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on 30 June in Washington, D.C. It also come less than one month prior to the upcoming International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in London July 23-27, where the issue of Japanese and Norwegian commercial whaling is set to receive much international criticism from both inside and outside the IWC meeting.

"With the results of most recent survey data showing the support of over 80% of the American public to stop commercial whaling and with the recent political changes in Japan," said Congressman George Miller, "now is the time for the U.S. government, on behalf of millions of Americans and hundreds of millions of people around the world, to reaffirm that the will of the international community can no longer be ignored. Today I am proud to join my colleagues in sponsoring a resolution to express the sense of Congress that commercial and lethal scientific whaling must come to an end. I urge the Bush Administration to follow through on its stated commitment to the proper enforcement of international whaling treaties and the protection of whales against illegal predators."

To find out more about this issue listen to our live audio press briefing webcast on this issue scheduled for 1pm, Tuesday, 26 June at: http://www.videonewswire.com/IFAW/062601/. This audio briefing will also be archived at this link.

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

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