The numbers don't add up
> It claims officials in Taiji have bribed central government to allow this export trade, which it says pulls in annual sales of over $850m
If we take a high-end wholesale price for tuna of around US$30 per kilo, that would make 28,300 tonnes of dolphin a year. A dolphin can weigh about 500 kg, and assuming it gets sold bones and all, that makes 56,600 dolphins-worth. Taiji catches up to 2,400 dolphins per year, perhaps 13% (probably more) of the nationwide catch, or about 18,500 dolphins. So either they are getting US$100 or more per kilo for tinned dolphuna, or they are Making Shit Up.
Confusing dollars and yen could be possible, of course, to give a figure of $8.5 million, but the only export I would expect would be as a mystery meat in pet food.