2-year imprisonment sought for antiwhaling activist from N.Z.

TOKYO, June 10 Kyodo -
Japanese prosecutors sought a two-year prison term Thursday for an antiwhaling
activist from New Zealand who is on trial in Tokyo on charges of obstructing
the activities of a Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic Ocean.
The defense counsel for Peter Bethune, 45, sought a suspended prison sentence,
noting that he has pleaded guilty to four out of five criminal counts against
him and that he has expressed deep regret for his acts.
Presiding Judge Takashi Tawada said the three-judge panel will give a decision
on Bethune at 1:30 p.m. on July 7.
Bethune, speaking in Japanese at the closing session of his trial at the Tokyo
District Court on Thursday, said he did not want to injure anyone and that he
feels sorry for the people to whom he caused trouble.
Bethune was indicted in April on five criminal counts -- trespassing, forcible
obstruction of business, assault, property destruction and violation of the
firearms and swords control law.
In conspiracy with other Sea Shepherd Conservation Society members, Bethune
allegedly threw a glass bottle of butyric acid onto the Shonan Maru No. 2, the
fleet security escort ship on Feb. 11, obstructing the crew members' business,
and injuring a 25-year-old crew member of the escort ship, according to the
indictment.
Four days later on Feb. 15, Bethune allegedly cut off the escort ship's net
with a knife and boarded it.
At the first hearing of his trial, Bethune pleaded guilty to four of the
counts. But he pleaded not guilty to the fifth count of injuring a crew member
of the escort ship, denying any intention to cause damage.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society effectively ousted Bethune recently,
saying he took a bow and arrows aboard his vessel in violation of the group's
offensive but non-violent policy.
Answering questions from a Japanese prosecutor in court Thursday, Bethune said
he has yet to receive any notice of Sea Shepherd's decision to expel him, but
that he would respect and accept the group's decision.
In Thursday's closing statement, the prosecution argued that the defendant was
well aware that a crew member could be injured if hit by the glass bottle of
butyric acid he threw at the escort ship, adding that this act could be willful
negligence.
The prosecutors also accused Bethune of actively taking part in violent and
dangerous activities by Sea Shepherd.
Bethune has been detained since boarding the ship in Antarctic waters on Feb.
15 and was arrested by the Japan Coast Guard when the ship arrived at Tokyo
port on March 12.
==Kyodo