PLEASE WRITE EXAMPLE LETTER BELOW
JAPAN
URGENT
APPEAL FOR LETTER CAMPAIGN
AGAINST BARBARIC RITUALS IN HOKKAIDO
Revival
of horrendously barbaric rituals by Ainu
in
Hokkaido
in
September 2007
I
urge all caring individuals and animal rights organizations to act
now in order to prevent the revival of horrendously barbaric
rituals by Ainu in Hokkaido in September 2007.
Please
see the attached photos. (A news clip from Mainichi on the 2nd May
and the photos of a bear being killed in the
ritual.)
“Iyomante”
is supposed to be the most important ritual within Ainu
tribe.
They kill hibernating mother bear in the cave then take the cubs
back and rise for one to two years, and then they choke the bear to
death.
They say it is the core of Ainu culture, but it is mere excuse for
entertaining killing.
In
modern days, no Ainu makes living by bear hunting, and it is hard
to imagine that all modern general Ainu people would be pleased to
see the revival of such an ancient rituals, which is half a century
old.
Most
likely it was planned by some commercial people in tourism
industry.
The
Ministry of Environment Japan published their view last October;
“The ritual does not violate the law as long as it is observed in
an appropriate manner for justifiable purposes”.
If
they regard such ceremony, killing an innocent bear cub, is
harmless educationally and ethically, can they show it to
children?
I would
like to know if shooting arrows and choking the poor bear can be
“performing properly within proper
reason”.
Also, I
would like Hokkaido government to abolish “Permission to hunt bears
for cultural inheritance” which they permit as special case for
Ainus.
Is this notorious method of hunting aimed at hibernating mother
bear and cubs a “culture”?
Their
view is “If the scene of killing the bear cub is shown publicly, it
could be against Law for The Humane Treatment and Management of
Animals.
The
government permits brown bear hunting in order to “inherit”
traditional Ainu hunting method.”
It is very strange that No Ainu make living by hunting at
present.
The
other issue is bear hunting in Japan.
Last
year, Japanese black bear alone, 5000 of them were shot killed just
because they came near to human habitation
area.
The
worst record is 2000 in the year 2004, so this number is utterly
outrageous.
It
is hopeless as most governments’ views are “the distinction cannot
be helped as bears are hazardous to human
safety.”
However,
this view is so false as hunting is all controlled by Hunting
Associations in local areas.
They
apply for hunting permits “in order to eliminate human hazard” and
kill the bears then take their livers out.
One liver is sold for \200,000 (£870 approx.) to \600,000 (£2,600
approx.)!!
Permitted
hunting period is between 15 November and 15 February. (1 October
to end of February in Hokkaido), and of course bears are killed
perfectly legally within these periods.
It
is clearer than watching the sun that no bears will survive in
Japan if we do not do anything now.
Last
year, a ceremony called, “Marat Opnika” which kills grown up bear
instead of cubs, revived in Asahikawa Hokkaido after 7 years. 60
people attended the ceremony from all over Hokkaido, and a male
bear which was 4-5 years old was
sacrificed.
We
should urgently ban these meaningless killing for pleasures of few
people.
When
bears feel absolute danger of being attacked by humans in the cave,
mother bears sometimes eat their cubs. They do that as they don’t
want their cabs to be killed by humans.
Some
hunters cut off bear’s feet s with axe if the bear resist coming
out from the cave because of their fright.
We
strongly urge the government to ban “Cave hunting” and all hunting
in Japan urgently despite of the pressure by the hunting
associations, and would like Bear care specialists in each local
authorities.
It is vital that we send letters to the following
bodies.
Minister
Masatoshi Wakabayashi
Ministry of Environment
Government of Japan
Godochosha No.5,
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Cho-ku,
Tokyo
100-8975
JAPAN
Tel: 81-(0)3-3581-3351
Email:
Governor
Harumi Takahashi
Hokkaido Government
Nishi 6-chome, Kita 3-jo,
Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8588
JAPAN
Tel:
81-(0)11-231-4111
Mr.
Kazushi Abe (※This
organization promots the ceremony.)
Vice Chairman
Utari
Association
Presto 1 .7 (7F), North 1, West 7,
Chuo-ku, Sapporo,
Hokkaido 060-0111
JAPAN
Tel: 81-(0)11-271-4171
Email:
ainu@frpac.or.jp
ONE
letter from you will help!!!
Please please send your view to the
above addresses without a delay.
Thank
you all for your help and god bless all of you!
Best
Regards,
* . * . *
Send
your own or sample letter below to:
ainu@frpac.or.jp
MOE@env.go.jp
Honorable
Officials,
The
civilized world is shocked and appalled to learn of the
barbaric sacrificial rituals, in Asahikawa Hokkaido, in
which bears and bear cubs are forced out of their dens in order to
be cruelly and barbarically killed by Ainu
tribesmen. Certainly, the Japanese government does not
condone and approve of the inhumane treatment and senseless
killing of animals. What then, is the lesson that such
rituals teach to young children and what is the message
that it sends to your citizens? I am horrified at the
very thought! There can be no justification
whatsoever, for such archaic and hideous "cultural" events
which cast shame on all of Japan.
And
as for the hunting of bears by so-called "sportsmen", this is
equally repugnant, as there is clearly a profit motive, based
on the sale of the bear's liver; the high value placed on such
folk-medicine use of animal organs, is based on ignorance and
superstition with no foundation in modern medicine that could
justify the near extinction of black bears in
Japan.
We
urge you to take immediate action to put an end to these horrible
practices in which animals are abused, tortured, killed to satisfy
the primitive instincts of individuals who are totally lacking in
understanding and compassion toward those creatures that share this
planet with us. It is the role of government to step in
to help its people evolve to a higher sense of
justice, when the actions of individuals or
groups are contrary to acceptable civilized standards or the
greater good.
I look forward to your reply.
Name,
Country
– e-mail address
Minister
Masatoshi Wakabayashi
Ministry of Environment
Government of Japan Godochosha No.5,
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Cho-ku,
Tokyo 100-8975
JAPAN
Tel: 81-(0)3-3581-3351
Email:
MOE@env.go.jp
Governor
Harumi Takahashi
Hokkaido Government
Nishi 6-chome, Kita 3-jo,
Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8588
JAPAN
Tel: 81-(0)11-231-4111
Mr.
Kazushi Abe . . . . . . . . . (※This
organization promotes the ceremony.)
Vice Chairman
Utari Association
Presto 1 .7 (7F), North 1, West 7,
Chuo-ku, Sapporo,
Hokkaido 060-0111
JAPAN
Tel: 81-(0)11-271-4171
Email:
ainu@frpac.or.jp