In 2006, a coalition of environmental and animal protection groups including HSI demanded that Nippon Suisan and two other major Japanese seafood companies cease killing whales, shut down their Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet and stop selling whale products. Instead, the three colluded with the government of Japan to dump their shares in Kyodo Senpaku in a way that would allow other entities to enable the continuation of, and growing expansion of, the whale hunt.
Gorton's responded to the protection groups' advocacy with a letter expressing its opposition to whaling and pointing out its commitment to the environment and sustainability. Gorton's representative also mentioned Nippon Suisan's divestment of its shareholder interests in the Kyodo Senpaku whaling fleet.
But this is not enough. Whales are still being hunted and harpooned under a plan that these companies put in place. HSI feels that these corporations must disavow whaling, promise never again to support it and take every measure necessary, including using their government connections, to put a permanent end to the hunting of whales by Japan.
