This photo taken in June 2024 shows a sea otter off Hamanaka on the northernmost main island of Hokkaido. (Kyodo)
KUSHIRO, Japan (Kyodo) — A town assemblyman on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido said Thursday he has decided to quit after violating local rules banning vessels from approaching wild sea otters to protect their habitat.
The town of Hamanaka on the island’s east coast is one of the few areas in Japan where sea otters are known to live and breed. It has established the rules in cooperation with the local fishing and tourism industries.
“I broke the rules despite the fact that I am an assembly member and I take this seriously,” Takashi Watanabe said. The 53-year-old conveyed his intention to resign to the assembly on Wednesday.
Watanabe said he took some acquaintances to a nearby island aboard a fishing boat and that, on their way back, they observed wild sea otters near Cape Azechi off the town on Aug. 17.
A witness posted about the incident on social media with an image, leading the town office to receive a series of inquiries.
AloJapan.com