You can take the journalist out of Tokyo...

[cstaylor]

...but you can't take Tokyo out of the journalist. From the NY Times (registration required to read this article) Harvest the Whales by Nicholas D. Kristof (formerly the NY Times correspondant from Japan)

The "Save the Whales" ethos is almost unquestioned, and Norwegians and Japanese risk becoming pariahs by continuing to salivate when they see a nice juicy whale

The bottom line is that while most large whales remain at risk, for some species we can no longer argue that we need to "save the whales." They've been saved.

And does he think that the Japanese can tell the difference *before* they catch them?

But that is dangerous ground. It is culinary imperialism for us to tell Norwegians and Japanese that because we like whales, they must not eat them.

...and from the reader's comment page (A New Look at 'Save the Whales'):

Evidence exists that most whales are sentient creatures of quite a high order. We are motivated to protect whales from slaughter because we recognize in them elements of our own humanity, and we sympathize with their plight.

This situation is perpetuated by political lobbying and intentionally misleading public campaigns by nongovernmental organizations that raise millions of dollars a year with their anti-whaling rhetoric.
DAN GOODMAN
Tokyo, Aug. 20, 2002
The writer is a councilor at the Institute of Cetacean Research

Oh yeah, Dan's not biased by his lovely paycheck... "research"... yeah, right. "Hmmm... minke on dutch crunch tastes much better than rye bread".

[cstaylor]

Mr. Kristof says it is "culinary imperialism" to oppose the killing of whales. But whales are highly migratory creatures with special status under international law, and the high seas are not the province of any one country. By what right does Japan continue to kill protected whales in internationally recognized whale sanctuaries?

Commercial whaling is an inherently cruel practice that represents a significant threat to the conservation status of whales, both rare and abundant.
FRED O'REGAN
President, International Fund
for Animal Welfare
Yarmouthport, Mass., Aug. 20, 2002

[GomiGirl]

Treating the Japanese like pariahs for eating whales and wanting to continue to eat whales is SOOOO hypocritical!! Actually I tend to agree with Nicholas D. Kristof for slightly different reasons. Here I go - flame bait yet again.

Japan survived on whale meat for centuries before commercial whaling by the US and Europe nearly wiped out the whales. The whale population was fine until the industrial revolution. Who in their right mind would cause the extinction of their main food source? It was actually against buddhist law at one stage to eat anything with 4 legs. Whales killed by the villages along the coasts were "taxed" by their local daimyo and the meat was transported inland to feed the rest of the population under their control.

We are top of the food chain and historically, quite responsible with our food resources (usually). It is when the resources are used for industrial purposes that abuse occurs - eg oil, land, air, water. And occurs quickly without any thought to the future.

The main difference is that the Japanese (and I guess the Norweigians) ate the meat rather and were very economical with the kill rather than just wanting the oil for profit. The US and the European whalers just hunted the whales for the oil and baleen alone and literally wasted the rest of the beast. Whale oil etc was the reason the industrial revolution happened so quickly - street lights, lubricant for machines, indoor lamps, cosmetics etc etc.

So then when the whale population dwindled to nigh-on extinction levels, it is the Japanese and the Norweigans who are now being criticised when they are wanting to continue something that is a staple not only for food but also as a matter of culture. It is interesting that one of the articles mentions lambs and deer - we all like deer and lamb but they are still eaten in large numbers all over the world with hardly a sqwark.

I like whales and whale watching as much as the next person, I have also eaten whale meat but actually don't like it that much - the texture is too much like liver for my liking. However, I think a little perspective is required when the criticisms start flying and fingers are pointed about who caused the near extinction of these wonderful animals. Deflecting the blame seems very convenient, however the facts are too often ignored. I guess it spoils a good story when the truth is told.

[Ketou]

Treating the Japanese like pariahs for eating whales and wanting to continue to eat whales is SOOOO hypocritical!!

Very true GomiGirl!

Especially for those veal eating westerners!

Lambasting whale eating countries whilst chewing on a mouthful of tortured cow is ridiculous.

Tortured cow

[Crispy]

I'm not in the "save the whales" camp, but I am against their absolute destruction. There will have to be regulations, but I get annoyed when poeple get emotional about it and start saying stupid things like that humans should never kill whales again.

[befamfivh]

Humans should never kill anything again. We should live on the moon and eat nothing but the most delicious baby seal and whale meat, grown in vats of course. Maybe later.

[cstaylor]

Deflecting the blame seems very convenient, however the facts are too often ignored. I guess it spoils a good story when the truth is told

So, if we apply the historical argument, then perhaps if Japan stayed within its historical capacity to hunt whale (no motorized vessels, no explosives, etc...) I'm sure the rest of the world would have less of a problem with the Japanese continuing forward with a "tradition".

Really, do you think this is all about keeping a tradition, or about money? From what I've read about whale eating in Japan, it's about cash, plain and simple... they can pad the so-called "whale-meat" up to 90% of dolphin meat (which is unhealty), and reap enormous profits because whale is seen as a delicacy (mostly due to the limits placed on whale hunting).

[GomiGirl]

Don't know that much about modern whaling - or wouldn't dare guess about the commercial side and much left about padding out with Flipper.

But what irks me is that the Japanese get blamed for the decimation of the global whale population rather than then true story.

Why are the Japanese easy targets to blame for this? Perhaps it is due to the refusal to stop whaling despite pressure from other civilised countries - "the arrogance.." "how dare they find a loop hole in the law to research the ear-wax plug of the minke whale but just so happen to keep the meat for sale at Tsukiji..." "how dare they flagrantly ignore what we say..."

I don't care one way or the other about commercial whaling itself - I don't particularly like whale meat... however, as long as the numbers of whatever species remain in check and we don't remove any species completely from the planet again, then I don't really have a problem with people making money. What is different with the veal industry, the cow-meat industry, the horse-meat industry. these are all about profit too.

A better way to stop whaling, or any industry considered undesirable, is to remove the demand - then there will be no profits for the suppliers. Hasn't prostitution been undesirable since the beginning of time and look how successful the punishment of the crime has been to stop demand - ergo supply.

A fact of human nature, as soon as something is considered "bad" or "naughty" this will increase more demand than marketing it as "good for you".

[cstaylor]

But what irks me is that the Japanese get blamed for the decimation of the global whale population rather than then true story

I'm with you on that... reminds me of the great Buffalo hunts of the late mid-to-late 19th century in the U.S.... what a terrible waste of beautiful animals.