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SYDNEY - Someone from the Japanese government must step in to take charge of "the hostage situation" in the Southern Ocean, Sea Shepherd international director Jonny Vasic says.
Mr Vasic said he was unable to confirm reports the Japanese harpoon vessel, Yushin Maru No 2, which has detained two crew members of the anti-whaling ship the Steve Irwin, was on its way back to Japan.
"We have lost the Yushin Maru on our radar," he said.
"We feel they're probably in the area.
"We have heard the reports they are heading back to Japan but we can't confirm them.
"We're currently in the Southern Ocean in the (whale) sanctuary.
"We're hoping the Japanese government will step in and do the right thing."
Mr Vasic said discussions so far on the fate of Australian Benjamin Potts, 28, and Briton Giles Lane, 35, who have been detained on board the Yushin Maru No 2 since late Tuesday, amounted to extortion.
He said the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society could not agree to demands made by the Japanese whaling research authority, The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), as part of negotiations for the release of the two men.
According to Sea Shepherd, these demands include agreeing not to take any action against the whaling activities, or filming or photographing the hunt.
"They're also demanding we send a Zodiac (boat) 10 miles (16km) out from our ship with no air cover and no kind of support, and that's just dangerous for us," Mr Vasic told the Nine Network today.
"We want to talk to the Japanese government and the Australian government and find out why our crew members have not been returned to us.
"Apparently the Japanese government has told the Yushin Maru No 2 to give our crew members back and yet we still don't have them on board.
"So we want to know why they haven't been released.
"They (the Yushin Maru No 2) are making demands of us and holding two of our crew members hostage.
"That's extortion and we have no interest in negotiating with criminals.
"They are out there breaking the law.
"We want someone official from the Japanese government to take charge.
"Last I knew, when someone was taken hostage the government negotiates on their behalf, not the Institute for Cetacean Research, which doesn't hold any power or authority for the Japanese.
"The reality is that the ICR is a front for the government to try to resume commercial whaling and we have no interest in talking to them.
Mr Vasic refused to be drawn on reports that Sea Shepherd was planning "a commando style" operation to free the two crew members of the Steve Irwin.
"We cannot talk about what we may or may not do, all we're interested in is getting our crew members back," he said.
- AAP
