Peter Bethune

The Maori Party has kept a low profile over the arrest of anti-whaling campaigner Pete Bethune... until today.

Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says kicking New Zealander Peter Bethune off its anti-whaling campaign may actually help his court case in Japan.

It is possible to feel strongly opposed to Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean yet uneasy at some of the actions taken in opposition to it. The trial of power boat skipper and anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune in Tokyo focuses on a case in point.

Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune on trial in Japan, today denied an assault charge, saying rancid butter stink bombs he threw at Japanese harpoon ships were no more acidic than orange juice.

New Zealand needs to quarantine the Peter Bethune issue so it does not affect other aspects of its relationship with Japan, visiting Australian international law specialist Prof Donald Rothwell says.

The lawyer for Auckland whaling protester Peter Bethune, on trial in Tokyo and facing up to 15 years in prison if found guilty, says is confident he will not be convicted of the charge of assault against a Japanese whaler.

The Greens say the Government has failed to support a New Zealand citizen who is at the peril of Japanese political interest in whaling.

New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune, who boarded a Japanese whaling ship as part of a protest in February pleaded guilty Thursday to trespassing, destruction of property and other charges.

New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune is likely to plead guilty to four of the five charges laid against him when he goes on trial in Tokyo District Court tomorrow.

Japan's coast guard has added a set of new allegations against an anti-whaling activist from New Zealand who is in custody for illegally boarding a Japanese harpoon boat on a whaling expedition