Caroline Kennedy was RIGHT....

TOKYO — Japan accused critics of its annual dolphin hunt -- including U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy -- of being hypocrites for not lamenting the killing of cattle and chickens in their countries for food. The southwest fishing town of Taiji finished its annual roundup of bottlenose dolphins Tuesday, a longheld tradition that Kennedy called "inhumane" in a message on Twitter. Japanese fishermen Tuesday trapped 250 dolphins in a cove using nets and killed about 40 of the animals for eating by severing their spines. About 50 were kept alive for sale to aquariums and the rest were set free, according to Sea Shepherd, an environmental group known for its anti-whaling activities. Japanese officials and others were surprised that a diplomat from an ally would lash out at a traditional cultural food. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters at a news conference Monday that marine mammals, including dolphins, were "very important water resources." "Dolphin fishing is one of traditional fishing forms of our country and is carried out appropriately in accordance with the law. Dolphin is not covered by the International Whaling Commission control and it's controlled under responsibility of each country." Taiji Mayor Kazutaka Sangen said Kennedy is attacking ordinary fishermen. "We have fishermen in our community and they are exercising their fishing rights," he said. "We feel that we need to protect our residents against the criticisms." A State Department official who asked not to be named because it is against policy to discuss the matter publicly said Kennedy proposed issuing her statement last week. The final wording of her tweet was the result of collaboration between Kennedy and other embassy officials and reflects official U.S. policy, the official said. Masayhisa Sato, a Japanese lawmaker, suggested Kennedy acted inappropriately in her role as an ambassador to criticize a hunting tradition in a host country that she finds distasteful. "I wonder whether it's appropriate for ambassador to comment on this," Sato said. In office just two months, Kennedy took to the social media messaging system Twitter over the weekend to condemn the hunt portrayed by opponents as needlessly cruel. "Deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing. USG opposes drive hunt fisheries," Kennedy tweeted in both English and Japanese. "USG" refers to the U.S. government. Japanese who spotted the Tweet responded. "The drive hunt is a traditional fishery that was established long before the foundation of the United States of America," said one message posted in response. "Isn't it inhumane to kill millions of cows and sheep for consumption?" asked another. The Taiji hunt, in which hundreds of dolphins are driven into a small cove and killed, was the subject of a graphic documentary in 2009 that won an Academy Award. Kennedy's dolphin tweet could complicate relations between two vital allies, said Robert Dujarric, director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at Temple University of Japan, in Tokyo. "There are far more important questions between the U.S. and Japan. The key to the dolphin business is getting Japanese to oppose it. But will this help? Or on the contrary, will it start a nationalistic reaction against meddling by a (foreign) country," said Dujarric. THANK YOU CAROLINE KENNEDY!! YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR OPINION - yes, these fishermen have their "rights" but you also have the right to criticize it and thank you for your candor.....while these other diplomats are "wondering" on the appropriateness of your comments.....meanwhile, thousands of dolphins are being slaughtered and those who are killed are killed in a most INHUMANE way. God bless you Caroline!! MOREOVER I have to say that this inhumane practice in 2014 should not even exist!!! I appeal to the PEOPLE of Japan - you have such a deep loving affection for all that is of nature - you even celebrate such naturalness in your festivals. This is inhumane and should not continue. These are LIVING sentinent mammals and the manner in which they are killed is cruel, very cruel.