Friday 1 February 2013

An armed Japanese Government customs vessel entered Australia's exclusive economic zone without permission on 31 January 2013



ABC News February 1, 2013:
 
The Federal Government has ordered a Japanese whaling vessel to get out of Australia's exclusive economic zone.
The Shonan Maru Number 2 - a Customs vessel which travels with the whaling fleet - entered the zone off Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean yesterday afternoon.
Environment Minister Tony Burke said he had made it clear to Japan that vessels associated with the whaling program "are not welcome in in Australia's exclusive economic zone or territorial sea".
"Our embassy in Tokyo has conveyed these sentiments directly to the Japanese government," Mr Burke said in a statement.
Former Greens leader Bob Brown, now the mission leader of the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling group, says he believes the vessel has armed Japanese personnel aboard.
 
On February 1 it was reported that the customs vessel was just outside of Australian territorial waters, but remains in Australia’s economic exclusion zone close to Macquarie Island, in direct defiance of the objections contained in the Australian Government’s formal notification to the Japanese Government.
 
World Heritage listed Macquarie Island forms part of the State of Tasmania.
 
The Hon Tony Burke MP
Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities
 
 
Media release
31 January 2013
 
The Australian Government has received confirmation that a Japanese whaling support vessel, the Shonan Maru No 2, has entered our exclusive economic zone near Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean.
The Government strongly objects to whaling vessels passing through Australian territorial seas or our exclusive economic zone.
Australia has made it clear to Japan on a number of occasions that vessels associated with its whaling program are not welcome in Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or Territorial Sea.
The vessel is a non-whaling support ship which forms part of the fleet accompanying whaling vessels.
Our embassy in Tokyo has conveyed these sentiments directly to the Japanese government.

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