THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release September 13, 2000
FACT SHEET
President Clinton Directs U.S. Actions
in Response to Japanese Whaling
President Clinton today directed that Japan be denied access to allotments
for fishing in U.S. waters to respond to Japan?s recent decision to expand
its whaling program to include two new species protected under U.S. law.
He also directed members of the Cabinet to examine other options for his
consideration, including trade and other economic measures, and to assess
the economic activity in Japan associated with whaling.
President Clinton took these steps after receiving certification from the
Secretary of Commerce that Japan is undermining international efforts to
protect whales. Commercial whaling has been banned since 1986 by the
International Whaling Commission.
There is currently no foreign fishing in waters under the jurisdiction of
the United States. New allotments for foreign fishing in these waters are
expected to be approved later this year for the first time in more than a
decade. Unless Japan changes its whaling program, it will continue to be
precluded from consideration for access.
Secretary of Commerce Mineta?s certification of Japan today under the Pelly
Amendment to the Fishermen?s Protective Act of 1967 triggers a process for
the President to consider trade sanctions against Japan and report any
actions he may take to Congress within 60 days. The President directed his
Cabinet to report back to him prior to the end of the 60-day period. The
Departments of Treasury, Commerce, State, and Interior and the U.S. Trade
Representative will look at additional measures, including such steps as
ensuring that items imported into the United States do not include any
whale by-products.
Today?s announcement is part of a set of steps the Administration has taken
since July when Japan broadened its whaling program from minke whales to
include Byrde?s and sperm whales which are protected under U.S. law.
Japan?s expanded whaling program has drawn strong protests from the
scientific community and world leaders, including President Clinton. The
International Whaling Commission also passed a resolution in early July
calling on Japan to refrain from undertaking its expanded whaling program.
In August, the United States joined fourteen other countries in a
diplomatic protest to the Japanese. In addition, the Administration has
cancelled U.S. participation in two regional environmental meetings in
Japan, has cancelled its annual fisheries meeting with Japan, and is
working with other countries to oppose Japan?s bid to host a meeting of the
International Whaling Commission in January 2001.
Despite the ban on commercial whaling, Japan is using a provision of the
International Whaling Commission for ?scientific research? to sponsor its
whaling program. International trade in whales is also banned under a
separate treaty, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species. The United States has strongly objected to the expansion of
Japanese whaling in part because both new species are protected under U.S.
law, and sperm whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species
Act.
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