By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-12-19 03:01:33 | Updated at 2024-12-19 05:49:26
2 hours ago
Japan has expressed its deep regret over Denmark’s refusal to comply with an extradition request to send anti-whaling activist Paul Watson to Tokyo to face trial after he was freed from prison.
Japan’s justice ministry had formally requested Watson’s return to answer a charge over the alleged stink bombing of a Japanese whaling ship in 2010.
Its Danish counterpart gave its reason for rejecting the request on Tuesday, citing inadequate assurances from Tokyo that Watson’s time in custody would count towards any sentence that he may receive in Japan.
Watson, who founded the Sea Shepherd environmental group, was detained in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, in July following an Interpol warrant issued in 2012 for the 2010 incident. Japanese officials previously said they were confident that Watson would be handed over to Tokyo.
Watson was released on Tuesday after spending 150 days in jail.
In a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed his disappointment at Denmark’s decision.
