Bethune calls Japanese trial 'miscarriage of justice'

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SYDNEY, July 12 Kyodo -
Recently returned anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune gave a scathing account
of the Japanese legal system Monday, and also labeled his treatment by the New
Zealand government as ''disgusting.''
''My trial in Japan represents a miscarriage in justice,'' Bethune said during
a press conference in Auckland. ''Not because I stood before that court, but
because the captain of the Shonan Maru (No. 2) did not.''
Bethune was captain of the Sea Shepherd vessel, the Ady Gil, which sank after
the Japanese security vessel ran the Shonan Maru No. 2 ran over the Ady Gil on
Jan 6.
''(The Shonan Maru No. 2 captain) rams and sinks my boat and the Japanese
coastguard failed to even investigate it,'' he said.
''Collusion between Japanese Coastguard, Japanese government and the Japanese
whaling industry ensured that I felt the full weight of Japanese law is also
ensuring that the captain and his crew do not,'' Bethune said.
''Japan insists on upholding the law, but only when it suits them,'' he said.
''This is especially so when you consider the many international law and
treaties (related to whaling) that they continue to break with impunity and on
an ongoing basis.''
Bethune, who returned to his home in New Zealand on Saturday, also lamented his
treatment by the New Zealand government during the case.
The 45-year-old criticized New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully who, he
believes ''immediately sided with the Japanese.''
''I remain disgusted with the way Murray McCully has treated us from day one,''
he said.
''New Zealand has become like a fat little lap dog,'' Bethune said. ''We should
be standing up for ourselves, not rolling over.''
But New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key dismissed Bethune's comments as
''ungrateful'' and urged him to remember that he got himself into the
situation, the New Zealand Press Association reported.
''He had a letter that said 'I do not want to be taken off the boat under any
circumstances and I do want to be taken to Japan and he was,'' Key told
reporters in Vietnam, where he is visiting.
''We gave him all the support that we possibly could and, in the end, he's had
a sentence that has allowed him to return to New Zealand but to somehow lash
out and blame our people in Japan...I think it's just ungrateful.''
Speaking about his experience in a Japanese prison, Bethune said it was
''tough,'' but he told New Zealand's TV3 television he had ''no complaints''
about his treatment by Japanese authorities.
Bethune said he had been more worried about the physical aspect of being in
prison and the idea of being locked up with murderers, rapists and mafia.
''I think I was more worried about being beaten up and shagged by sumo
wrestlers and stuff -- there was none of that,'' he added.
==Kyodo
2010-07-13 00:07:46