TAIJI, Japan — An unprecedented meeting between conservationists and leaders of the dolphin-hunting village depicted in the Oscar-winning documentary “The Cove’’ ended in bitter disagreement yesterday.
The carefully organized meeting in Taiji was jolted beforehand when the film’s star, Richard O’Barry, said he would boycott it because severe restrictions had been imposed on the media covering the talks.
Taiji’s hunt each year draws a range of protesters who videotape the slaughter and occasionally scuffle with local fishermen. This season — the first since the Oscar was awarded — the attention has been particularly intense, and usually unresponsive town leaders agreed to a discussion at the community center.
