In a program broadcast July 18 on ABC TV, the fisheries chief of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific said Japan poured money into the country in exchange for its support over whaling and cheap access to tuna.

Similar charges were made by former officials from the tiny Caribbean nations of Dominica and Grenada.

The Solomons official, Tione Bugotu, said he is investigating the theft of millions of dollars paid to the fisheries department by the Japanese, ABC said on its Web site.

"The fact is that this is money which is due to the government of the Solomon Islands as revenue through fisheries," he told ABC. "Money had been diverted elsewhere and certain officers chose to help themselves."

The Solomon Islands is heavily dependent on Australia for aid but lined up with Japan in June at the International Whaling Commission meeting in South Korea.

At the meeting, despite losing a nonbinding vote 27 to 30, Japan vowed to continue plans to double its take of whales in a scientific catch strongly opposed by Australia.

The Japan Times Weekly: July 23, 2005
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