Nature Conservation Groups and Anti-Whaling Activism in Japan: A Comparative Political Perspective

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24730111
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Politics
Research Institution	Nagoya University
Principal Investigator	Nomura Ko 名古屋大学, 環境学研究科, 准教授 (00360793)
Project Period (FY)	2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
Budget Amount *help	¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000) Fiscal Year 2014: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2013: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000)
Keywords	圧力団体 / 環境政治過程 / 政治文化 / 環境NGO / 直接行動 / 捕鯨 / ナショナル・アイデンティティ / 環境運動 / 自然保護 / NGO
Outline of Final Research Achievements	This research project considers the characteristics of nature conservation groups in Japan by studying anti-whaling activism from a comparative political perspective. The findings highlight the role of local political culture in shaping the moderate causes and strategies of Japanese groups through its exclusion of radical ideas. Another finding is the negative impact of Western groups’ tactics and ideas on the growth of the Japanese anti-whaling movement due to their radicalism not being accepted favourably in Japan. This research also suggests the need to review arguments on ‘global civil society’, ‘global citizenship’, and the role of civil society groups in global governance by taking account of the differences in activism and political culture among countries, as well as problems related to trans-border protests (particularly those protests in the form of direct action).