Japanese dolphin hunt caught on tape
A Japanese government spokesman defended an annual dolphin hunt on Monday, after U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy tweeted that she was deeply concerned by the inhumanity of the practice.
The anti-whaling group Sea Shepard videotaped the hunt, which ended Tuesday after about 500 dolphins were driven into the cove to be captured or slaughtered, according to a report by CNN.
The yearly event is a focal point of the Taiji community's dolphin hunting season, which many in the community in southwest Japan view as a long-held tradition.
But the hunt is heavily scrutinized by environmental activists, who have been monitoring activities and live streaming and tweeting about the latest developments.