Whale hunts by Japan are supported primarily by older consumers

While surfing the Net on Japan news, a headline in the Mainichi Daily News caught my eye: "Protests or not, Japan keeps eating whale."

As you know, Outposts has been touching on Japan's controversial whale hunt (conducted annually, in the name of research) and on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's controversial whale hunt disruption (conducted annually, in the name of whale protection).

The story implied that whale meat is still popular among older Japanese, and that many of them believe Japan should be able to hunt whales in a sustainable manner.

The story quoted one proprietor, whose Tokyo restaurant specializes in whale, as saying, "Why do people say we can't eat the things we've eaten since the end of World War II?"

The restaurateur conceded that most of his customers are in their 40s or older.

They're in support of Japan's right to harvest minke whales for research, while most outside observers believe there's no meaningful research taking place and that the research "loophole" in international law is merely being used by Japan to conduct commercial hunts each year when the whales are summering in the Antarctic.

Japan this season plans to kill 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales (minke whales are not endangered, fin whales are). Its research, in part, is to prove the fishery is sustainable in hopes the whaling ban will someday be lifted.

Interestingly, though, Japan's whaling industry admittedly barely turns a profit, and with the younger generation increasingly favoring red meat, poultry and fish, the profit margin will shrink further in years to come.

So what's the point in continuing? Tradition? Culture? Stubbornness? Japan has its reasons, which are difficult for many Westerners to understand.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Japanese businessmen sample whale meat during lunch at a Tokyo restaurant in 2007. Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[Jon K.]

Hopefully the trend will continue and whale consumers will continue to age and eventually die.

Whales are beautiful, intelligent creatures.

There are a lot better creatures out there to eat.

[Tyrone Karam]

Whale hunt protests by Americans are supported primarily by gullible idiots.

[Robert Cutcher]

Tyrone: your statement is pointless. The point of contention is the slaughter of marine mammals (cetaceans) which are on the endangered speciesl list. These same species have been strucggling with a continuous threat via illegal hunting, ship impacts, dwindling food resource, contaminated water quality (mercury) and sonar inpingement, not to mention the ignorance and egocentric thought process of humanity.

Speaking of idiots - take a look in the mirror

[Bob M]

In my last trip to Japan, I have been told by my Japanese friends that there is a renewed interest in the consumption of whale meat by the younger generation, mostly for novelty sakes. My friends have said the whole whaling controversy is having the reverse effect in Japan and causing more people to show support for the whaling industry, seen as an attack on Japanese culture by western imperial motivations.

Whale meat can be found in any sushi bar and has the consistency of Otoro, but much cheaper in price. I myself ate it at two sushi bars, and had some of my fellow travelers try it two, who also agreed that it tasted great.

[Robert Cutcher]

Taste great? That is your justification for the slaughter of an endangered species which is also happens to be sentient? (do you understand the meaning of this word?)

BTW: the word "two" is used to designate the number 2, not as in also which would be "too".

Please read the previous post which identified ignorance and egocentrism as a principle threat to cetaceans...

[CC]

I doubt this is really a Western/Asian thing. As a Southerner, I am reminded of the battles over the Confederate flag. People in general seem to dig in when they're under fire, as the Japanese are over whaling and some Southern states are over the flag. I think it's more about stubbornness and not wanting to seem to be capitulating to your opposition than it is about culture. Cultural arguments just sound better.

[confucius]

I am an Asian American and I do not eat whales nor do I intend to try one. But I believe that the Americans should not tell what the Japanese people should or should not be eating. This is the clash of two cultures and each should respect the other. I am sure that if a Japanese said that cows are cute and smart, and you should not eat them, we would just laugh at them while we eat our 2 big macs for $3.50. Whales are not that cute, majestic maybe, but not cute. I think that if the world gets together, we can think of a reasonable solution to this issue.

[Mike]

Cows are raised as a food source, by farmers who make a profit. Whalers won't make much profit from a declining resource, whales will never be farm raised, and I have yet to see any obvious benefit from their "research". I am all for protecting one's culture, but a strong, enduring culture is one that evolves and learns from past mistakes.

[Malcolm J. Brenner]

Forget politics. Forget science. Forget environmentalism. KILLING WHALES IS INSANELY CRUEL! Imagine if I was riding in a car and I tried to kill you by shooting you in the guts with a spear gun with a cherry bomb lashed to it. The spear gun penetrates your abdomen, then the cherry bomb explodes, blowing your intestines apart. You begin to slowly bleed to death. Then I put the car in reverse and start dragging you backward by the spear lodged in your guts. That's how a whale dies with an explosive harpoon lodged in it – slowly and in agony, screaming underwater. It can take half an hour. Anybody who slaughtered a land animal that way would be arrested for ANIMAL CRUELTY. Whaling is cruel, barbaric, expensive, dangerous, pointless, unnecessary and atavistic. The only way to end it is to raise the cost of whale meat beyond what the Japanese are willing to pay.

[Simon Zaleski]

Well said, Malcolm. Even if whales were not endangered, the manner of hunting them is truly horrific. You can't hunt whale with a .22 or reel them in with a fishhook and whack 'em on the side of the boat.

[confucius]

I believe that killing any animal is cruel, whether it is for food or sport. But it is the way the world works. You can't change tradition on a dime, especially in Asian countries. Unlike Americans, Asians value and respect traditions. For those who think that killing whale is bad, go join PETA and go protest how the chickens, pigs and cows are killed in the US farms. The animals are first electrocuted and while they are still conscious, someone cuts their throat and bleed them to slow death. Let the Japanese and the Alaskans hunt their whales like they have been doing for hundreds of years.

[Chanelle]

whales and animals in general, to me, are better creatures than alot of the human species will ever be. its ashame how the Japanese have to 'kill' the whale to research it. A bit funny if you ask me.

[LB]

"Why do people say we can't eat the things we've eaten since the end of World War II?"

Wait, this hotly defended tradition is...sixty years old? Speechless.