Japanese negotiators actually had the cajones to suggest that Sea Shepherd was impeding efforts to reduce whaling, which they would somehow achieve by slaughtering and eating whales.
In November 2009 (and notably, under the Obama administration), a U.S. representative discussed with officials from the Fisheries Agency of Japan the prospect of having Sea Shepherd’s tax-exempt status revoked .
Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and U.S. representative to the International Whaling Commission Monica Medina suggested to Japanese negotiators her belief that “the USG [U.S. government] can demonstrate the group does not deserve tax exempt status based on their aggressive and harmful actions."
Read more excerpts from the cables here.
Sea Shepherd activists confront Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean (whenever the whalers are chasing Sea Shepherd, they're not killing whales--looks like a good day!):
