The International Whaling Commission had announced the cessation of commercial whaling since 1986, and only a few countries had been allocated a share in scientific whaling. However, this perfunctory regulation was of no significance to Japan where numerous whale catchers continued with their activities. They took pleasure in being reviled by tens of thousands of people around the world, as they acted as a catalyst in whale extinction.
The two vessels, one red and one white, one big and one small, both set up a few high pressure water pumps and shot at the people on the side of the ship. The white ship had probably been specially modified to drive out whale catchers with its extremely powerful high pressure water pumps. A man wearing a white headscarf was shot right in the chest by the high pressure water jets the moment he came out from the cabin of the whaling ship. He screamed and bawled as he got thrown back into the cabin by the huge impact.