| I just found this article today from Kyodo News in Japan Today!
Tuesday, October 5, 2004 at 12:30 JST
TOKYO — Some Japanese pearl farmers have been cultivating pearls from giant clams that have been imported from China in violation of an international convention restricting their trade, industry sources said Tuesday.
The pearl cultivation industry association has agreed not to use the giant clams to culture pearls, but the pearl farmers have been using them because they are inexpensive, the sources said. (Kyodo News)
It appears as this is a growing problem. What surprises me is that this is being reported from Japan. The Japanese pearl farmers have been fierce in discrediting Chinese pearl farmers that use this form of nuclei. But apparently market forces are stronger than personal ethics for many. |