Japan Bribes Small Nations to Vote in Whaling Commision

We've always known this, but now the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands has come out and admitted it.

One of the whaler's key Pacific supporters, the Solomon Islands, has frankly admitted to Australia that Japanese interests normally finance its trips to the whaling commission, which is finely balanced between pro and anti-whaling groups.

"Usually Japan pays for our attendance," Prime Minister Derek Sikua said. But he said the Solomons had declined to attend a special closed meeting on the future of the IWC that wound up in London last night.