Three U.S. environmentalist groups on Wednesday launched a campaign against Japan's Jusco Co., alleging the supermarket chain assists Japan's hunting of whales, dolphins and porpoises by selling their meat across Japan.
The Environmental Investigation Agency, the Humane Society of the United States and Greenpeace targeted Talbots, one of America's most popular retail clothing chains, which is affiliated with the Japanese company.
The three groups said they are calling on Talbots to use its influence with Jusco to persuade it to end the sale of all whale, dolphin and porpoise products in Jusco's 625 supermarkets.
Jusco U.S.A. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Jusco, currently owns a majority stake in Talbots. Four Jusco executives sit on the Talbots board.
The EIA said 180 of 388 Jusco supermarkets surveyed by it sold whale meat.
Meat from two whale species that are protected by the International Whaling Commission was found in Jusco supermarkets, the EIA said.
Patricia Forkan, executive vice president of the HSUS, said, "By selling whale and dolphin meat in Japanese supermarkets, Jusco is helping to create the market that fuels the Japanese government's commercial whaling policies."