Japan to deport maker of Oscar-winning dolphin documentary

[webfact]

Japan to deport maker of Oscar-winning dolphin documentary
YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The star of an Oscar-winning documentary that showed how dolphins were hunted in a Japanese village will be deported to the U.S. Friday, after his entry was barred and he was held in detention for more than two weeks.

Ric O'Barry's lawyer and his son Lincoln O'Barry told The Associated Press that an appeal against a decision by Japanese immigration officials to deny O'Barry entry has been turned down.

O'Barry has been held in a detention facility since Jan. 18 when he landed at Tokyo's Narita airport. O'Barry and his lawyer say officials accuse him of lying during his past visits to Japan. He denies that, and says he is a tourist.

O'Barry starred in "The Cove," which won the 2009 Academy Award for best documentary. In it, dolphins get herded by fishermen into a cove in Taiji, Japan, and speared to death, turning the waters red with blood.

Officials and fishermen in Taiji have defended the hunt as traditional, saying that eating dolphin meat is no different than eating beef or chicken.

Immigration officials do not comment on cases.

O'Barry has vowed to keep at his effort to save the dolphins.

As the dolphin trainer for the "Flipper" TV series, he has long felt responsible for dolphin shows and aquariums. He regularly visits Taiji.

"They are trying to shut me up. But they are creating a tsunami of attention for this issue," he said in a telephone call earlier this week from the detention facility.

O'Barry, 76, said the officials questioned him daily in what he described as an effort to get him to fall for trick questions and end up confessing to wrongdoing.

"It breaks my heart to be deported," he said. "I never violated Japanese law. I never lied to Japanese authorities."

He said he felt weak and had not slept well, adding the food at the detention center did not agree with him so he ended up eating candy bars and chips.

The lies he is alleged to have told immigration officials were technical, he said, such as initially saying he wouldn't go to a demonstration when he went, but that was because at that time he had not yet been invited.

He was also initially accused of having ties to anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd.

O'Barry heads his own group Dolphin Project, which aims to peacefully protect dolphins worldwide.

"This is a slap in the face to the freedom of speech," O'Barry said. "But this has not shaken my love for Japan."


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-05

[stevenl]

Unfortunate but no surprise.

[craigt3365]

If you have not seen this film, you should. Shows how corrupt the Japanese government is. I was shocked.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

[Jingthing]

He made a great film. I guess he loves Japan so this is a sad development for him.

[craigt3365]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

No comparison. You saying farm raised animals are like wild dolphins? Impossible.....

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/31/japan-hunts-dolphins-whales-extinction

Japan's hunts threaten some dolphins and whales with extinction, says EIA

[Kasset Tak]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

I have to agree with you! People are upset just because it's about dolphins, people around the world hunt elk, deer, birds and so on and no one is protesting that because it's in our western culture and traditions!

And also the industrial growth of pig, chicken and so on is the same or even worse than this:

In Europe, US and basically everywhere where the animals can be transported several days thru several countries/states for slaughter.

To produced 1 kg of framed salmon you need about 2 kg wildcatch fish. After "harvest" the salmon in Norway is sent to China by air fright to save money on the processing?!

Chickens are sexed at about 1 week, the male chicks are usually killed as they will lay no eggs and produces less meat than a female broiler.

These are just some examples of how the animals are treated and resources wasted to produce the animals that we think are OK to eat!

[craigt3365]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

I have to agree with you! People are upset just because it's about dolphins, people around the world hunt elk, deer, birds and so on and no one is protesting that because it's in our western culture and traditions!

And also the industrial growth of pig, chicken and so on is the same or even worse than this:

In Europe, US and basically everywhere where the animals can be transported several days thru several countries/states for slaughter.

To produced 1 kg of framed salmon you need about 2 kg wildcatch fish. After "harvest" the salmon in Norway is sent to China by air fright to save money on the processing?!

Chickens are sexed at about 1 week, the male chicks are usually killed as they will lay no eggs and produces less meat than a female broiler.

These are just some examples of how the animals are treated and resources wasted to produce the animals that we think are OK to eat!

In the US, hunting wild animals is heavily controlled and regulated. It's based on the year, health of the species, etc. In Japan, dolphins are not dealt with like this. They say it's tradition, but it's not. Watch the movie first before commenting. Sorry, but otherwise, you have no idea what you are talking about.

[sambum]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

I have to agree with you! People are upset just because it's about dolphins, people around the world hunt elk, deer, birds and so on and no one is protesting that because it's in our western culture and traditions!

And also the industrial growth of pig, chicken and so on is the same or even worse than this:

In Europe, US and basically everywhere where the animals can be transported several days thru several countries/states for slaughter.

To produced 1 kg of framed salmon you need about 2 kg wildcatch fish. After "harvest" the salmon in Norway is sent to China by air fright to save money on the processing?!

Chickens are sexed at about 1 week, the male chicks are usually killed as they will lay no eggs and produces less meat than a female broiler.

These are just some examples of how the animals are treated and resources wasted to produce the animals that we think are OK to eat!

Without coming down on on Animal Rights campaigners I love the pun - deliberate or not :-

"air fright"

[captspectre]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

eggs? dairy products? what does that mean? me thinks you have been hitting the sauce lately? otherwise what the hell does eggs and dairy products have to do with dolphins or meat? must be the air in pattya, makes people there do and think weird things!

Edited February 5, 2016 by captspectre

[xtrnuno41]

It is about the cute dolphins, no one cares for chicken, cows pigs or whatever

You buy it supermarkt and think mmmmmmm

Saw documentary of USA treatment of those animals, by animal abuse exposer.

Kicking, cows , pigs. Beating them with iron sticks and whips. Chickens dragged.

Companies protected, but empoyees fired, as the companies put up rules but dont care.

Employee is easy to fire..

Tuna is caught by fishingrod, but in the end harponend. Same as dolphins

And then about pets, how many pets arent abused?.

Mankind is on top foodchain and eat all.

[JHolmesJr]

Ive never seen dolphin meat advertised on any menu….what do they do with it?

[helpisgood]

Just FYI, below is an interesting article regarding the degree of dolphin intelligence, and the extent to which they feel pain and suffer. I knew that they were a higher form of life, but not that much. I learned something new. I am sure there's a wealth of other articles out there as well.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-dolphins/dolphins-smarter-brain-function.htm

I think that this is what some of the people who are against the slaughter of dolphins would point out. They may feel that we choose, rightly or wrongly, to eat meat. However, if we do eat meat, it seems more civilized to not prey upon species that are so highly developed, unlike, say, chickens (no offense to chickens).

Yes, I know that raises a slippery slope problem, and there's also the issue of animal cruelty in slaughterhouses. I haven't worked out an answer for that as of yet. Maybe the vegetarians are right. I confess that I do like my meat, and it would be tough to remove it from my diet. I respect those that have chosen to become vegetarians.

Anyway, since there seems to be enough choices of meat to eat, maybe it's better if we let alone those so close to our own species and not cause the greater suffering that naturally occurs with a higher life form.

[craigt3365]

Ive never seen dolphin meat advertised on any menu….what do they do with it?

Watch the movie. They are actually using it as trash meat and selling it to the local schools for lunch meat. Disgusting.

Again, dolphins are potentially endangered species. Chickens are not.

[Gulfsailor]

Just FYI, below is an interesting article regarding the degree of dolphin intelligence, and the extent to which they feel pain and suffer. I knew that they were a higher form of life, but not that much. I learned something new. I am sure there's a wealth of other articles out there as well.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-dolphins/dolphins-smarter-brain-function.htm

I think that this is what some of the people who are against the slaughter of dolphins would point out. They may feel that we choose, rightly or wrongly, to eat meat. However, if we do eat meat, it seems more civilized to not prey upon species that are so highly developed, unlike, say, chickens (no offense to chickens).

Yes, I know that raises a slippery slope problem, and there's also the issue of animal cruelty in slaughterhouses. I haven't worked out an answer for that as of yet. Maybe the vegetarians are right. I confess that I do like my meat, and it would be tough to remove it from my diet. I respect those that have chosen to become vegetarians.

Anyway, since there seems to be enough choices of meat to eat, maybe it's better if we let alone those so close to our own species and not cause the greater suffering that naturally occurs with a higher life form.

Then now please look up the intelligence of a pig, with the knowledge it was bred for thousands of generations purely for meat quantity. Imagine what would happen if we start to breed it like dogs, looking at character traits and intelligence. The pig would outsmart dogs, dolphins and chimps! Care for some bacon?!

[OMGImInPattaya]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

No comparison. You saying farm raised animals are like wild dolphins? Impossible.....

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/31/japan-hunts-dolphins-whales-extinction

Japan's hunts threaten some dolphins and whales with extinction, says EIA

All sentient beings are equal...they all can feel and avoid pain and have a desire to live. Just because one is named "Flipper" and the other is anonymous doesn't change this.

[Ulic]

The truth can be upsetting, of course they are going to deport him.

[bangon04]

The truth can be upsetting, of course they are going to deport him.

and the moral of the story is

"Don't make the Japanese lose face" They will get you one way or another.

[Andaman Al]

I think he is a little naive thinking the Japanese would continue to welcome him after his video exposed a side of Japan that is hated by most of the rest of the western world. Tell him to try going to Saudi and making a documentary about how bad the Saudi's are for not allowing Christians to worship in churches in Saudi. he will get deported there also................after spending 15 years in Jail. Nothing to do with free speech. Different country, different rules and unless you are a citizen of the country you are slagging off don't expect to be covered by rules of free speech.

[Nana]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

I have to agree with you! People are upset just because it's about dolphins, people around the world hunt elk, deer, birds and so on and no one is protesting that because it's in our western culture and traditions!

And also the industrial growth of pig, chicken and so on is the same or even worse than this:

In Europe, US and basically everywhere where the animals can be transported several days thru several countries/states for slaughter.

To produced 1 kg of framed salmon you need about 2 kg wildcatch fish. After "harvest" the salmon in Norway is sent to China by air fright to save money on the processing?!

Chickens are sexed at about 1 week, the male chicks are usually killed as they will lay no eggs and produces less meat than a female broiler.

These are just some examples of how the animals are treated and resources wasted to produce the animals that we think are OK to eat!

Do you really believe that someone would send salmon by air from Norway to China for processing to save money? Some other types of wild caught fish though, are frozen onboard Norwegian fishing vessels before being sent with boat to China for processing. About 72% of all farmed salmon in Norway are slaughtered locally and sent around the world to restaurants and other consumers, chilled on ice. Much of it by air, since there isn´t too many options if you want to eat fresh Norwegian salmon in Japan or Australia.

Also. Norwegian salmon now is being farmed at a FIFO rate of between 1,1:1 and 1,4:1 since 25% the fish meal and fish oil used in fish feed is from byproducts of fish processing (gut,head and bones). A lot of the wild fish used in fish feed have never been used for human consumption and have never before been caught commercially.

[FATOZ]

Just FYI, below is an interesting article regarding the degree of dolphin intelligence, and the extent to which they feel pain and suffer. I knew that they were a higher form of life, but not that much. I learned something new. I am sure there's a wealth of other articles out there as well.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-dolphins/dolphins-smarter-brain-function.htm

I think that this is what some of the people who are against the slaughter of dolphins would point out. They may feel that we choose, rightly or wrongly, to eat meat. However, if we do eat meat, it seems more civilized to not prey upon species that are so highly developed, unlike, say, chickens (no offense to chickens).

Yes, I know that raises a slippery slope problem, and there's also the issue of animal cruelty in slaughterhouses. I haven't worked out an answer for that as of yet. Maybe the vegetarians are right. I confess that I do like my meat, and it would be tough to remove it from my diet. I respect those that have chosen to become vegetarians.

Anyway, since there seems to be enough choices of meat to eat, maybe it's better if we let alone those so close to our own species and not cause the greater suffering that naturally occurs with a higher life form.

Then now please look up the intelligence of a pig, with the knowledge it was bred for thousands of generations purely for meat quantity. Imagine what would happen if we start to breed it like dogs, looking at character traits and intelligence. The pig would outsmart dogs, dolphins and chimps! Care for some bacon?!

Mmmm Bacon

[Baerboxer]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

You miss the point.

A nation that defies laws and hunts wales, hunts dolphins and kills them cruelly is bad enough. But one that then tries to silence and ignore any critics or comments it doesn't like is worse and hypocritical.

Just like all mention of war crimes and Japanese atrocities are kept out of Japanese history books, here's another fact they don't like so want to suppress.

And this is a nation America is allowing to re-arm.

[ldiablo]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

If the Japanese were breeding dolphins for consumption your statement may have some credibility.

[ldiablo]

Just finished watching the documentary

Good on you Ric O'Barry for your efforts over the years in bringing attention to this disgusting practice.

Hopefully someone with your passion can pick up where you have been forced to leave off.

[derator01]

Please stick to the topic.

[Chicog]

Well hopefully they will all be growing extra heads after eating dolphin this year.

And frankly they will deserve it.

[Skeptic7]

Anyone who eats meat, eggs, or dairy products really has no right to be offended at the Japanese action or the dolphin hunt depicted in the film.

eggs? dairy products? what does that mean? me thinks you have been hitting the sauce lately? otherwise what the hell does eggs and dairy products have to do with dolphins or meat? must be the air in pattya, makes people there do and think weird things!

Sorry but you're missing the point. Granted eggs and dairy have nothing to do with dolphins, but suffering and inhumane treatment and maltreatment of animals is the bigger picture. I grew up working on chicken and dairy farms in my youth. The treatment and confinement is inhumane and sickening. Three hens to a tiny cage...in each other's personal space with 24/7/365 artificial lighting to keep them laying 'round the clock, that they start to maul, maim and kill one another, so then the solution was to burn their beaks off to prevent loss of revenue.

Dairy cows are confined and overfed unnatural food...given all types of hormones and antibiotics to keep them lactating abnormally long when their calves are taken away unnaturally early. The females usually suffer their mothers fate. The unfortunate male calves are then tethered in filthy "veal" pens with almost zero mobility to keep them from normal muscle development, which keeps the flesh tender...sunless to keep their flesh the preferred pale color...and anemic (deprived of essential iron and other minerals) to also keep the flesh the preferred pale color. Innately, the animals crave iron so would lick their rusting tether poles, which were then removed and replaced with tethering poles made of others substances. Then inhumanely slaughtered (if humane slaughter is actually possible? painless and sudden death would be considered "humane", but it rarely is accomplished this way) at the ripe old age of 3-6 months.

Been a vegan for almost 30 years now...

[Humberstone]

@Skeptic7. I’m not a vegan, but I agree that the points and comparisons you make regarding animal cruelty are fair and valid.

However, that being said, the reason for slaughtering a large number of dolphins in Japan is based on the ridiculous assumption that the dolphins are eating the fish that the Japanese fishermen are deprived from catching. The dolphins are driven into the cove by men on fishing boats beating metal rods underwater which confuses the dolphins ‘sonar’ making them vulnerable.

The Japanese will argue that the dolphin slaughter is purely a Japanese tradition as this has been going on for generations. Again, this is nonsense as the fishermen sell some of the dolphins (usually certain species) to aquariums/water parks in Japan and overseas for profit and the tainted meat is sold in markets for human consumption. Money trumps tradition.

[craigt3365]

@Skeptic7. I’m not a vegan, but I agree that the points and comparisons you make regarding animal cruelty are fair and valid.

However, that being said, the reason for slaughtering a large number of dolphins in Japan is based on the ridiculous assumption that the dolphins are eating the fish that the Japanese fishermen are deprived from catching. The dolphins are driven into the cove by men on fishing boats beating metal rods underwater which confuses the dolphins ‘sonar’ making them vulnerable.

The Japanese will argue that the dolphin slaughter is purely a Japanese tradition as this has been going on for generations. Again, this is nonsense as the fishermen sell some of the dolphins (usually certain species) to aquariums/water parks in Japan and overseas for profit and the tainted meat is sold in markets for human consumption. Money trumps tradition.

I believe the reason they stated was tradition....and money. Selling the meat to the local schools and selling captured dolphins to shows all around the world. Neither is a necessity....though the people making money off this would argue it. Crazy the Japanese government actually helps them hide this and allows it to happen. Right up their with their whale "research" expeditions....