The governor of Wakayama Prefecture on Wednesday slammed the country's suspension from a global association of zoos as unwarranted foreign coercion.
Gov. Yoshinobu Nisaka said the recent decision by the Swiss-based World Association of Zoos and Aquariums to suspend Japan's membership was "bullying, from all over the world."
The group said it took the measure because some dolphins caught in drive hunts off the whaling town of Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture are sent to Japanese aquariums for display. The hunts have drawn broad international criticism.
At a press conference, the governor said most of the creatures on display at aquariums were captured from the wild, and that there would be a sharp drop if only those bred in captivity could be shown.
Aquariums would "never be able to exhibit rare species," he said, expressing the hope that the world association would consider the issue in a "fair" manner.
Taiji, a small fishing town on the Pacific, is known for its whaling and dolphin hunting practices. The drive hunts were documented in "The Cove," an Oscar-winning U.S. documentary.
The world association's statement, dated April 22, said the Japanese association's membership of the body has been suspended on the grounds that it has violated the "WAZA Code of Ethics and Animal Welfare."