According to the filmmakers behind ‘The Cove’, Japan fishermen kill tens of thousands of dolphins every year. As animal rights activist Ric O’Barry visited the town of Tajii, Japan, where the harvesting occurs, and attempted to film the slaughter, local police met him with intimidating questions. ‘The Cove’ met critical acclaim in the West, earning among many prizes the 2010 Academy Award in the best documentary feature category. It also infuriated Japanese nationalists so much that the country’s news editors avoided discussing the controversy.
An Air Force colonel banned screenings of the film at Yokoto Air Base, near Tokyo, saying that showing it would amount to an endorsement.
