Footnote: Kora is safe now - July 2009

A macaque named Kora, has been abused for ten years by wrestlers belonging to ‘Dragon Gate’

To:
-  Mr. Jun YOKOTA, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Belgium, Brussels
-  Mr. Ichiro FUJISAKI, Ambassador of Japan to the United States of America, Washington DC
-  M. Yasuo SAITO, Ambassadeur du Japon en France, Paris  


-  The Mission of Japan to the European Union, Brussels
 
Honourable Excellencies,
 
The European and International Community of Animal Defenders has learned from the internet that a macaque named Kora, has been abused for ten years by wrestlers belonging to ‘Dragon Gate’, a Japanese professional wrestling group.
The group is starting its first US tour.
Kora lives in the dojo and it is known that the wrestlers submitted the animal to the following :
- Choked him by the neck until it passed out.
- Burned him with charcoal.
- Threw him into a tub of boiling hot water.
- Blew air into his mouth so it would defecate itself.
- Gave him sake (Japanese alcohol) regularly until it would pass out.
- Dragged it around by a chain on its neck.
- Attached fire crackers to him and lit them
- Locked him in a box and sprayed antiperspirant inside, causing it to freak out.
The wrestlers implicated are Shingo Takagi, Akira Tozawa and Katsuo/Yuki Ono, after they openly blogged about the abuse. An other wrestler, named Yohei Fujita, alias Ryoma, considers the treatment the group gives the monkey to be very funny.
 http://www.youtube.com/user/Huziitomokazudies
 
http://wrestlingtruth.com/news/dragon-gate-wrestling-involved-in-horrific-animal-abuse/
 
It is obvious that the Dragon Gate group casts a slur on the good name of Japan.
 
As for us, we are shocked beyond words over this case of most disgusting animal abuse and consequently:
 
- We request Japan that the monkey will be taken away from the wrestling group and never will be returned to these unworthy people;
- We request Japan never to let Dragon Gate have an animal in their possession again;
- We request Japan to take their professional license away from the wrestling group Dragon Gate.
- We request Japan that wrestling group Dragon Gate will be severely punished and that the abusers will be put in prison.
 Thank you for transmitting our request to Prime Minister Taro ASO and to Minister of Justice Eisuke MORI Awaiting your confirmation, we remain,  Yours Respectfully,