I’ve just arrived in Tokyo, tired and hungry, and afraid I might be turned away by immigration.
But surprisingly, they escorted me through a single lane away from everyone else, and, after passing me through the biometric fingerprint and retinal scan, I was met by a horde of 30 police and a Japanese media blitz that surrounded me in a frenzy of TV and still cameras, lit up by scores of portable lights.
Onlookers must have thought I was some kind of film celebrity, although in the past the Japanese media always ignored me.
When asked about the Oscar-winning The Cove movie, I mentioned that Japan's constitutional article 21 prohibits the censorship of an issue where the people have the right to know. After that I was quickly rescued by officials of Unplugged Inc., distributors of the film in Japan, who whisked me to their car bound for my hotel in Tokyo.
Yesterday a total of 55 Japanese journalists and filmmakers harshly criticized theatre owners in Tokyo and Osaka for giving in to the demands of the Nationalist activists to cancel screenings of the award-winning Cove documentary. The outraged group said the cancellations threatened freedom of expression. Read the article here.
The Cove is still scheduled to be opened in more than 20 theatres later this month.
Despite last week's setback, I’m encouraged that people in Japan are starting to come forward to help get the truth out to the people of Japan about the dolphin slaughter, the dangers of mercury poisoning, and the larger issue of perilous state of our Oceans. I have always believed that the people here are our greatest hope.
If you have friends or family in Japan, please:
* Share these Japanese language materials
* If you have a blog, please post messages of support. Keep it positive—this is about people’s right to see the film and make up their own minds.
* If you’re on twitter, follow and tweet out @thecovejapan
* Look for "The Cove" and/or Medallion/Unplugged on Mixi and Gree, and please post messages of support.
About Richard O'Barry, Marine Mammal Specialist, Earth Island Institute:
Richard O'Barry has worked both sides of the dolphin street, the first 10 years with the dolphin captivity industry, the past 38 against it.
Working back in the 1960s for Miami Seaquarium, O'Barry captured and trained dolphins, including the five dolphins who played the role of Flipper in the popular American TV-series of the same name. When Kathy, the dolphin who played Flipper most of the time, died in his arms, OʼBarry realized that capturing dolphins and training them to perform silly tricks is simply wrong.
From that moment on, O'Barry knew what he must do with his life. On the first Earth Day, 1970, he founded the Dolphin Project, dedicated to freeing captive dolphins who were viable candidates and educating people throughout the world to the plight of dolphins in captivity. He launched a searing campaign against the multi-billion dollar dolphin captivity industry, telling the public what was really going on at dolphin shows and urging people not to buy tickets to see dolphins play the fool.
O'Barry has rescued and released more than 25 captive dolphins in Haiti, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, the Bahamas Islands and the United States. His more than 45 years of experience with dolphins and his firsthand knowledge about the methods used to capture and train them has taken him all over the world to participate in lectures and conferences about the controversial dolphin captivity issue. As he knew it would, this created a lot of hostility toward him by those who stood to profit from the continued exploitation of dolphins.
"They're in this for money. Take it away, and they'll quit doing this," OʼBarry says and adds: "Dolphins are free-ranging, intelligent, and complex wild animals, and they belong in the oceans, not playing the clown in our human schemes."
To recognize his contribution, in 1991 OʼBarry received the 'Environmental Achievement Award' presented by the United States Committee for the United Nations Environmental Program (US/UNEP).
His book 'Behind the Dolphin Smile' was published in 1989, a second book, 'To Free A Dolphin' was published in September 2000. Both of them are about his work and dedication.
O'Barry is a Fellow National in The Explorers Club, a multidisciplinary society that links together scientists and explorers from all over the world. Each member is an accomplished individual with at least one fascinating story to tell.
In January, 2007, O'Barry became the Marine Mammal Specialist for Earth Island Institute and Director of Save Japan Dolphins coalition.
Ric O'Barry: Update on 'The Cove' From Tokyo
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks