seaturtle.org : MTN : ARCHIVES : Sign In

Marine Turtle Newsletter 48:32, © 1990

Pressure Japan to Reduce Sea Turtle Imports: Write a Letter Today!

Japan's trade in sea turtles has had a devastating effect on populations around the world, especially on hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata). When Japan acceded to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1980, it took reservations or exceptions to the Convention's ban on trade for olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles. In response to world pressure, Japan has recently banned the import of green turtle products (November 1988) and small stuffed hawksbills (April 1989). However, more than 25,000 olive ridleys and 28,000 hawksbills are still harvested annually for the Japanese market. At the 7th Meeting of Parties to CITES (October 1989) the Japanese delegation met with representatives of TRAFFIC (JAPAN), IUCN, the Center for Marine Conservation, and Greenpeace to discuss trade reductions. Japan gave assurances to these groups that they would stop importing olive ridley skins and reduce hawksbill shell imports by one-third. Unfortunately, they refused to provide a time table. To help ensure that these reductions occur SOON please write:

His Excellency the Ambassador, Ryohei Murata
Embassy of Japan
2520 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20008 USA
[Tel: (202) 234-2266]

Director, Import Division
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
1-3-1, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan

There has never been a better than now! Thank you for your support! For additional information, please write: Marydele Donnelly, Center for Marine Conservation, 1725 DeSales Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20036 USA.