The Japanese government said on Wednesday that the release of environmental activist Paul Watson by Danish authorities was “regrettable”, the AFP news agency reports.
Watson was released on Tuesday and the Danish Department of Justice decided that Watson should not be extradited to Japan.
“It is regrettable that the Danish government did not accept Japan’s request to extradite him,” said government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Watson, who was one of the founders of the Sea Shepherd organization and currently heads the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, is best known for his fight against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean. He has also been involved in the fight against Norwegian whaling.
Japanese authorities believe he has assaulted whalers and committed violence, something Watson denies.
