Japanese Turn a Blind Eye

When the Japanese consumer is out of touch or in denial, oceans everywhere suffer.

The fact that Japan's shark industry uses every part of the animal does nothing to protect shark populations, says Mayumi Takeda, co-founder of PangeaSeed, a shark conservation group in Tokyo, according to The Guardian. Several countries, including the US, have taken steps to conserve shark populations, but she holds out little hope that Japan will follow suit.

"Many Japanese turn a blind eye to the problem and ocean conservation seems to be overlooked here," she says.

"And because of the efforts of conservationists in the southern ocean and Taiji, the Japanese media have spun these issues to appear to be the actions of eco-terrorists. But Japan's international scoresheet can't handle much more negative press."

Read the full Guardian story here.