Japan

Conflict at night on the high seas of the southern ocean whale sanctuary as two Japanese harpoon ships harass Sea Shepherd activists on board the Bob Barker in an attempt to throw them off the tail of the Nisshin Maru whaling factory ship. The weapons in this mini conflict were Tow lines, lasers, spotlights and rockets (flares). The harassment occurred as night was rapidly falling with snow flurries in the air, and within hours of the Bob Barker sighting the Nisshin Maru.

Related youtube videos: Sea Shepherd: The Japanese whaling fleet attacks the Bob Barker - March 5, 2012 | ICR: Bob Barker fires rockets at Yushin Maru 2 - March 5, 2012

In a press conference Sunday afternoon Federal Attorney General Nicola Roxon said that Government officials are in talks with Japanese authorities over the fate of the 3 Australians now held captive on the Japanese whaling security vessel Shonan Maru No2. She said the Government's primary concern was the safety of the three men.

On Sunday morning Forest Rescue activists boarded the Japanese whaling ship in solidarity with Sea Shepherd.

Media reports from Japan this week highlight that the Japanese Fisheries Agency is likely to send the whaling fleet to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary near Antarctica later this year. A US$27 million boost to security for the whaling fleet is likely, despite the country still reeling from it's triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown. The injection of more Government money into the program is likely to be controversial locally when many people are still homeless as a result of the disasters and when many rebuilding programs still require funding.

A candlelight vigil in Melbourne on the steps of the GPO heard from people with close relatives caught up in the tragedy of the devastating earthquake, tsunamis and escalating nuclear crisis in Japan.

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Origami peace cranes cascaded down the old GPO steps into the Bourke Street Mall where many office workers stopped briefly to watch on their journey home.