Once past the initial embarrassment present in every conversation between strangers, Nasiko started to speak about himself as if we had always known eachother. He told me he was the son of a famous Japanese archaeologist who worked at the University of Tokyo and he had often traveled with his father in search of lost civilizations. He had been to Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia to study the pre-Columbian civilizations. His true passion was the sea. He had always dreamed to go deep-sea diving to study the depths and its inhabitants. He had graduated in Osaka and still lived nearby, in a small fishing village. I was really fascinated by the customs and habits of a different realities of a country as far away as Japan. He recounted everything in detail and with scientific accuracy, without being heavy. He had a very youthful appearance, even though I had trouble telling how old he really was. He was very elegant in clothing and manner. He told me about his early scientific career, when, shortly after he had graduated at university he had done an internship at the University of Florida to study penguins in Chile. He was then hired by a research group at the University of Osaka, through the Department of Marine Sciences, to conduct a series of studies on heavy metals in the Sea of Japan, and the damages caused to these coastal ecosystem. I told him what I was involved in and he was very impressed by my great interest in dolphins. He said he was a staunch environmentalist and had taken part in many Greenpeace campaigns for the protection of cetaceans. Inevitably, the conversation drifted on the massacre in Taiji and what was happening in neighboring villages. He said that, when he had heard about the events in Taiji, he had been ashamed of being Japanese.
"What does it mean to you to be a Japanese zoologist and know that, every year in your country, these brutal massacres take place?" I asked.
"I am ashamed; I feel pure shame at what is happening in my country." He said looking down. "It is possible that, even due to a group of ignorant fools, we all share the idea of being criminal dolphin killers", he added.
"I understand perfectly what you mean," I said to Nasiko. “I'm Italian and we are all constantly associating with the mafia or other types of organized crime, especially when we go abroad. We are not proud of it." I concluded.
"I know", said Nasiko. "For me it is an indelible disgrace. What is known of Taiji abroad is only a small part of the whole truth," he added, bringing the glass to his mouth. His little eyes seemed even closer in that grimace of pain. "The worst thing is that Japan does not know anything because everything is deliberately kept quiet..!” He said.
"Every year, thousands of dolphins are killed for the stupidest reasons", said the Japanese with sad eyes.
I asked in detail whether the country was aware of the current situation in Taiji. Beyond what is considered the "official" problem.
Nasiko took a deep breath and paused for a moment to contemplate the infinite blue of the sky through the half-open blind of the window.
"Taiji is a little village of local fishermen in the southern part of the Japanese archipelago at the tip extending into the Pacific where every year thousands of cetaceans are massacred," said Nasiko softly. For the most part the dolphins are gathered in a small bay, narrow and long, where they are trapped and then killed."
"I know that none of this happens only in Taiji ...." I added.
"Not only in Taiji but also in Iki, Ito, Futo and Izu. This is the killing of about 23,000 cetaceans including dolphins, small whales, Risso's dolphins and porpoises, which every year, from September to March, this happens in the tiny fishing villages in Japan.... in our civilized Japan." He said.
"The village of Futo, since 2006, has adopted another policy, basing its business on scuba diving, whale watching and other sea-based activities, showing that it is possible to survive even in the absence of unjustified killings. Unfortunately, it seems that now they are at it again, and want to start participating in this barbaric and anachronistic tradition again. Even the Yakuza has its requirements..." he concluded.
"From the harbors of these villages, there are daily fishing fleets following the pods (families) of dolphins, surrounding them and pushing them towards the coast. Hunting works in this way: a number of boats go out to sea and expect to see the dolphins", sighed Nasiko.
"After being spotted they create a single row with the boats, so as to prevent their escape out to the open sea and then immerse some metal pipes in the water on which they make hammering sounds to create a sort of "wall of sound." They do this in order to disorient the dolphins, causing them to panic and then leaving them only one possible escape route, which is in a small bay. Once the dolphins are inside, the bay is closed with nets and then the dolphins are brutally slaughtered, using machetes, spears and other bladed weapons. The "fishing" season lasts from September to March every year and during this period the interested coastal cities become a battleground between supporters and environment group activists and the local police. The whole area is controlled under strict communications against the movement of foreigners; the entire bay is monitored by radar and underwater detectors. All foreigners who go on site during this period are monitored and followed, and they have no idea about this. Any foreign activity, during those months, is banned or controlled. Only the big environmental groups, those with years of field experience, are able to arrive at the scene and report daily on the massacre.
The first extensive documentary, which made the world aware of this barbaric practise was the legendary documentary "The Cove", which won an Oscar in 2010, but was of course censored and banned throughout Japan.”
"All this is monstrous", I said, actually knowing how things were over there.
"Not only that," said Nasiko “......most of the captured dolphins are intended for slaughter for human consumption while the most "promising" are sold to water parks and circuses. Each dolphin sold alive for captivity can pay up to $ 150,000. This is obviously a good motivation for the fishermen. A dead dolphin is pays out about $ 600 US. What makes the true wealth of these fishermen is the sale of the creatures to water parks around the world, for these prices also reach very important figures (such as a price-tag of up to $ 200,000 for the best specimens). They arrive daily to China, Korea, the Arab countries, Russia and Japan for the use of "trainers", unscrupulous people who choose which specimens deserve to be moved into the aquarium and which deserve to die on the spot.”
“How can Japan afford this?” I asked Nasiko, while the hostess asked if I wanted more coffee.
"This massacre is carried out to satisfy a small minority of the Japanese people because of the dolphin meat. Now this is no longer in the food culture of the Japanese people", mentioned Nasiko very embarrassed.
"The dolphin slaughter activities in the cities mentioned above is, actually, a very recent fad. Before the 1980s cases of dead dolphins were very few and far between," he added.
"It seems completely out of place to speak of tradition. What really pushes this activity is the frantic search to make easy money from the entertainment industry around the world... ," he concluded. “It can easily be understood from studies by well-known environmental groups that the entertainment industry is well developed with water parks around the world and above all very well supported at the political level, creating real lobbying power... This allows one to understand that dolphin is not compliant with specific food traditions in country..." He added with a deep breath.
Indeed, in 1969, the Japanese created a "museum", called the Taiji Whale Museum. A sort of open-air camp where dolphins can be observed, making shows for the public, and at the same time are sold in slices inside the supermarket, present within this area. It is in this camp that, for example, Angel is locked up. A small albino dolphin, captured a few years ago, is kept for commercial purposes and only for economic interests. The paradoxical thing is that you do not actually know about what is happening in the Japanese waters: the cases of "white dolphins", as they are called, are increasing significantly. The simultaneous capture of several white whales in Taiji makes on think. There are multiple patterns for the reasoning behind this. The first is that there aren’t so many "albinos" among cetaceans and they are not all concentrated in one area.
We have seen how, since the Angel case, other white whales have been caught in that area, in recent times. This particular species of dolphin is certainly not known to be subject to many cases of albinism. Albinism is a specific genetic alteration caused by the lack of a particular enzyme: melanin, which is found in the tyrosine one of its precursors. This disease is distinguishable by making the skin of those affected to almost an completely white color. Albinism is the product of an autosomal recessive gene and is known for its impact on all vertebrates, including humans. An individual with this enzyme defect is defined as an albino while an individual that has a reduced amount of melanin without it being completely absent is said to be albinotic. Albinism is caused by the lack or deficiency of tyrosinase, a unique enzyme produced by the thyroid, which is fundamental for the production of melanin. We must not forget that the history of pigment genetics mainly refers to the color of human hair and hair in animals, which is biologically and biochemically distinct from that of the skin, so it makes a clear distinction between skin color and coat color, particularly among the dolphins. The albino subjects may be characterized by multiple minor alterations. An important example can be found in the aforementioned dolphin, Angel, a female of about 16 months, caught in the waters of Taiji and detained in a special pool in a concentration camp, the Taiji Whale Museum. What you see from the photos taken of Angel are the partial loss of teeth, and one emiarcata, which can be interpreted as secondary genetic alteration. In some monofiodonts species (i.e. with a single teething structure) we can establish a phenomenon comparable to the partial onset of tooth replacement. The most marked changes usually occur around the first months of life in all species and such alterations are never unique, but they affect various body areas. Albinism in itself is already a fairly rare phenomenon, but when you bind it to the capture of various "genetically altered" subjects, this is a fact one must consider. The chances of catching "white dolphins" has to be considered; and statistics also play a role. As evidenced by the photos of the catch of "white dolphins", we notice differences between classical albinism, as some of them have dark eyes (while albinos’ eyes are red). One of the probable causes of these genetic alterations in biologically modified subjects might be found in the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which occurred on March 11th, 2011, following the earthquake that struck in that area, particularly in the prefectures of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma. The genetic code of animals that lived in the waters close to the radionuclides spill zone, after the disaster, or generally those facing the Japanese coast, can easily have been altered and resulted in more or less marked abnormalities. It must not be forgotten that the heavy metals contained in Japanese waters are the highest in the world (chromium, cadmium, manganese and lead) and, such metals, subjected to strong radiation free ions that go to interact with the genetic code. We all know how radiation and heavy metals cause genetic alterations and chronic poisoning in animal species, including humans. How can the Japanese sell their meat in such markets?
"It also seems that dolphins are considered "pests" because they eat too many fish and as such should be exterminated. In practice, the perpetrators of these massacres, the "fishermen", kill the competition. In other words, "killing dolphins helps to preserve the fish in the sea for their consumption," concluded Nasiko clearly ashamed by my direct questions.
"I believe that most of the blame falls on the IWC (International Whaling Commission), which does not protect minor species (such as dolphins and porpoises), and as such allows the killing of so many whales every year. It is a commission that, instead of protecting endangered species, actually justifies the hunt for pseudo-scientific purposes," concluded Nasiko.
"Finally”, he said, “there has been found, in the meat of these cetaceans, mercury methylmercury and PCBs in particular within the dolphins killed near Taiji, at levels that have to be considered "toxic waste". The mayor of Taiji, to ingratiate himself with the community of native fishermen, and to gain a higher economic return has said that dolphin meat was to be provided for free in the school cafeterias. Can you imagine the damage to the young ones?" Said Nasiko shrugging.
"This is incredible," I said. "And the Japanese who are against this? What can they do to prevent this?" I asked.
"They can do very little. The Japanese government is hiding all this. The minority that wants this barbaric and unjustified ritual to continue is very powerful from a political point of view and linked to the Yakuza, the notorious Japanese mafia," Nasiko concluded bitterly.
"What do the Japanese say about the fact that this dolphin meat is so heavily polluted...and represents such a high risk to the public health?" I ventured. "Do not say anything because nothing is known throughout Japan...." replied Nasiko very sadly.
"But they aren’t they afraid or ashamed of what the other countries in the world might think about Japan and its people?" I added.
"Westerners do not understand the fundamental concept in being Japanese, as long they as continue to go to Taiji, to observe and judge, the massacre will never end... Despite everyone’s best intentions. The Japanese will never accept to be defeated in their own country and will therefore take these acts as an ongoing challenge." He added after a loud sneeze.
But Nasiko did just that, he wanted the world to know what actually happens in Taiji. His exact purpose, as an environmentalist, was to defend the whales from the madness of a group of ruthless criminals. Maybe it was just a pipe dream or a fight against windmills...He wanted to give a true testimony. He wanted to fight for the truth. I was facing an incredibly cultured and sensitive person, a young researcher full of enthusiasm and high ideals. I felt very close to him, though very diverse in culture and origin. He loved whales and dolphins in particular. Meanwhile, the cold temperature in the airplane cabin was quite considerable, the covers of red fleece, provided at the beginning of the trip, were not enough. I could see, on the screen placed on the back of the seat in front of me, that the plane was many miles from the US coast, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of eleven thousand meters and at an external temperature of -51 Celcius. A light sleep hit us both. Then, the cries of a child sitting behind woke us up with a start.
Nasiko told me about his passion for Italy and its cities of art. He remembered fond a trip there with his family many years ago, when his father had been sent to Pompei. He remembered various "old walls" and fantastic pizza. I explained that I had to go to Bimini, to conduct field research on dolphins at sea. In particular, I was interested in bioacoustics and the language of dolphins. He stated that he was going to Miami for a three-month internship at the University of Florida. He said he had been to Bimini when he was little, as his father was the head of an expedition that studied the famous "Bimini Wall" (also known as “Bimini Road”).
It was a very interesting conversation.