Japan's whaling effort might be significantly reduced, but time will tell

Japan and whaling. The words are almost synonymous, they've been used together so often lately.

Japan is a whaling nation, despite a moratorium on commercial whaling, and is currently whaling or wrapping up its annual whaling effort in Antarctic waters.

International opposition has not stopped Japan from whaling in the so-called Southern Ocean. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has had some success in disrupting the whale hunt, though not everybody believes what the controversial group's PR office spews out.

Regardless, Japan is still whaling, using a research loophole in the 1986 moratorium.

But there might be some good news for marine mammal enthusiasts who claim whales are too intelligent and embattled to be slaughtered for so-called research or human consumption (Japan is the world's largest consumer of whale meat).

Australia's Daily Telegraph, quoting a Japanese newspaper, reports that the country is considering reducing its annual kill of nearly 1,000 whales by several hundred whales.

Its proposal might be submitted during an International Whaling Commission meeting next week, although a Japanese fisheries ministry official declined to comment on the issue.

Has Japan finally succumbed to so much opposition? If it's ever put that way, the nation will increase its effort. But maybe, just maybe, Japan and whaling will move closer toward parting ways.

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Dead whale lies on deck of a Japanese ship in the northwest Pacific in 2000. Japan is the world's biggest consumer of whale meat. Credit: Reuters

Comments

[Esmeraldii]

Anti-whaling is an act of political freedom that the civilized governments of our time have allowed us to participate in. Anti-whaling is centered around the killing and removal of mammals from the ocean, at such a rate that the oceans ecosystems will just fall apart. In the post by Socrateos on March 6th the consumption of beef was brought up, Cows are not removed from the wild where the ecosystem is thrown into peril. Cows are farmed, if whales were to be farmed just as cows the anti-whaling movement would be hugely diminished. Whales are the largest part of the oceanic ecosystem, when taken away it creates strife for the other more sustainable creatures. Although I do believe that whaling is a cruel thing the facts are the facts, if whales were to be farmed as salmon are, there would be less strife created by whaling. The worst thing that the human species can do is throw the biggest ecosystem that we rely on into the trash. Whaling is the cheapest and fasted ticket to kill the oceans.

[(9) TOKYO]

I don't disagree with the whaling itself, I can't believe the "Scientific" research's purpose is science.

I can't trust the persons who eat beef or kangaroo and try to protect the "right" of so very poor whales. I can't trust the vegetarians forceing their philosophy to people. I can't trust some Australian who enjoy some racist TV jokes and say "we respect Japanese and Japansese culture, so we are never racist." I can't trust some countries, where minor people hunt whales for "culture", and which reject Japanese "culture" and "science".

And I can't trust some Japanese who often eat whales with sake and believe the "Scientific" research is really scientific.

[Whales Not Television Ratings!]

"The japanese should halt whaling immediatly as their cause smacks of the same arrogance that japan exhibited back in 1942".

This is classic SSCS "member talking points" brought to you by Paul Watson and company. Inciting small groups to become radical is as easy as falling off a log. It is the lowest form of people and agenda management.

SSCS excels at this poisoned brand of hyper enviro anger and now broadcasts that brand to millions with their fabricated eco show Whale Wars.

They have been at this whale game for 31 years and have made no forward movement at all.

Think about that the next time you decide to give your money to the cause. Do you want more wild hair anger and first shaking with no solutions but more of the same? SSCS is your org.

Perhaps look into the credible NGO's who are working with Japan and others to find real and lasting solutions. Anger is easy, solutions are the real goal.

[AnakinG]

Yeah, see that kind of speech is not what inspires people. You just lost another 10's of thousands of Japanese people's support. And made it more difficult for change to happen in the world. And for you to compare this to world war II is just beyond ignorant and just simply stupid.

Advise I have for you is, take a deep breath, re-evaluate your thoughts and actions. It will really help you make progress in whatever you are trying to achieve.

[Imforthewhales]

I guess they call Japanese whalers Japanese whalers because the whalers heading off into the southern oceans to cause misery, suffering and a long, protracted and agonising death to thousands of whales...not to mention future generations....are in fact Japanese ( as opposed to Norwegian, icelandic) whalers, with Japanese registered ships who dock in Japan and sell their whale meat to Japanese restaraunts whose " research by-products...yeah right) to be consumed by Japanese people who appear to be totally ignorant of the pain and distress they are causing & appear to lack any empthy whatsover for these gentle giants of the sea who are being slain.

Call a spade a spade I say. The japanese should halt whaling immediatly as their cause smacks of the same arrogance that japan exhibited back in 1942 when once again they failed to recognise the rights of other creatures to live a life free of pain and molestation.

By the way...since when did Japanese whalers lay claim to the whales of the ocean? I own the whales as much as any Japanese whaler and i prefer my whales to be living, breathing and free to swim unmolested in the worlds oceans.

So pleae Japanese whalers, leave my whales alone.

[Polarbearzombie]

This ’non-offer’ is simply a Japanese negotiating position to encourage the continued disintegration of the position of the pro-conservation countries through the process now known as the ‘Hogarth Proposal’ to legitimize commercial whaling. (for anyone who remembers it looks a lot like the ‘Irish proposal of ten years ago) and involves giving into the whalers by giving them ‘coastal’ whaling. By the way the ‘Hogarth Proposal’ does not define coastal whaling (take a look at Japan’s 200 mile EEZ to see what coastal could mean) and it does not speak about restricting the vessels used, - so stand by to see those factory ships operating around Japan. Goodbye to that growing whale watching industry.

Pro-whaling countries with reservations about the moratorium (Norway, Iceland, are not required to win three-quarters of the IWC votes to resume commercial whaling, but Japan is. Therefore, noting that a vote buying strategy has been politically naïve (and costly), the only way for Japan to lift the moratorium is to negotiate with anti-whaling nations and agree on a compromise. This may be the only strategy for those politicians that have played the ‘nationalist’ card in Japanese domestic politics that might let them win something as the global economic crises continues.

But I suggest you need to go further and have to forget the country perspective when speaking about whaling and start thinking of the individuals that benefit from a resumption of legitimized commercial whaling. Whilst the economics of whaling will never add up for governments, it does work for the industrial whalers that make money from the practice.

So where is the best return for individuals who don’t really care about existing coastal communities but do care about where they can maximize their individual profit? It’s in international trade and not in racing around Antarctica.

In the last ten years, Norwegian whalers have fulfilled their quota only once, in 2001, when the quota was much lower at 546 minke whales. However, Norway plans to maximize the International trade in whale meat and products is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. However, Norway, Iceland and Japan hold reservations against the ban and, in 2008, just as the IWC Chairman initiated the current negotiations, Norway and Iceland resumed international trade in whale meat with Japan.

In June of 2008, for the first time in almost 20 years, Japan received imported whale meat from both Norway (5 tonnes of minke whale meat) and Iceland (nearly 82 tonnes of endangered fin whale meat). The meat was initially held in customs, but was released for sale in December of 2008.

This may not seem the best tactic whilst these negotiations are taking place, which indicates either;

1. The companies involved don’t care what happens in the negotiations, or want to cause the IWC to disintegrate anyway,
2. The governments involved are not in control, or,
3. The government of Japan is not one entity that is working hand-in-hand with itself, and is in fact subject to the power of the whaling companies and the civil servants and ICR.

Either way, the IWC should not fall for this latest feint by Japan. Its commercial coastal whaling company (there is only one company that operates all its so called ‘coastal’ whaling fleet – operating out to 50 km offshore), which is already part of its North Pacific ‘Scientific Whaling’, may well be supplemented by the Antarctic fleet to kill as many whales as possible is this deal goes through.

As it may well be within the 200 mile EEZ, lets then watch as Japan rejects any multilateral authority over quotas and lets just stare dejectedly as the CITES ban is lifted, as its always been dependent on the IWC moratorium staying in place.

The next chapter of this tragedy will be when the envious eyes of other nations turn upon the ‘deal’ when they see what Japan has got away with. How long before they reinstate their harpoons…then lets see how many whales are dying.

[AnakinG]

Anti-whaling itself is definitely not racist or manifestation of racism. That is just silly comment. But stuff that some of the sea shepherd crews say about Japanese cutlure and people is definitely racist. (To start off with, why do they have to address the whalers as "Japanese"? They should just address them as "Whalers".) Why do you think they are so unpopular in Japan? It's definitely not because Japanese people love whale meat, trust me.

In a sense, it's just like sexual harassment. So many Japanese find it offensive, including those who believe in conservation and anti-whaling. Sea shepherd has definitely increased pro-whaling population in Japan in the last few years, and helped Japanese government win its people's support for government subsidized whaling. And as long as the government is subsidizing it, it will go on. 500 vs 1000 whales per year in a grand scheme of things is insignificant. As harsh as it may sound to you animal lovers, that's the truth. As long as majority of Japanese voters stay indifferent about whaling / anti-whaling, government will keep fueling the industry. Longer it goes, more whales will "suffer".

On a separate note, I do have a question for Sea Shepherd member (anyone). Would you support Australia going to war against Japan if Japanese whaling can be ended?

Peace

[timmy]

I don't think Japan will actually reduce their research programme because the anti-whaling nations seem determined to oppose whatever Japan does, thus Japan will have no reason to shift it's position.

If it isn't already obvious enough, after this year's meeting even the incredibly patient and perseverant Japanese people will be left in no doubt that even compromise at the IWC is impossible. The anti-whaling nations don't want compromises. They want to stick to their "whaling is evil" mantra more than they care about conserving marine biodiversity. That's why they don't ever do anything to stop whaling (Paul Watson, maybe you recognise this too)

The IWC is already in a critical condition and this year's meeting seems like the only thing that could possibly happen is the plug is pulled, and both sides can stick to their fundamental positions: The whaling nations' that catching whales is fine so long as it's done on a sustainable basis and continuous efforts are made to improve killing efficiency, and the anti-whaling nations' that whales are special and too good for humans to eat and that they are "endangered" no matter how many there might be.

There can be no compromise between the two sides because their respective positions are diametrically opposed. If the IWC does survive it would appear the only purpose it will serve is to continue to rubber stamp the USA's "aboriginal subsistence whaling", and talk about conservation measures. No more whaling talk.

The rest of the world's whaling will be taken up in other forums where nations against the practice simply won't be relevant. This is the choice that these anti-whalingnations are going to be making if they refuse to accept sustainable whaling by non "aboriginal" people. This might not happen overnight, but in 5 10 years from now this is how it is going to have played out.

[Nel Australia]

Anti whaling is not racist - it is exactly what it says it is. I am anti anything that needlessly and cruelly kills another creature whether it be large or small, human or otherwise. I am a proud member of Sea Shepherd and I have had two Japanese teaching students stay in my home - one for nine months. So for your benefit socrate06 - we care for the oceans and all lits inhabitants and abhor anyone of ANY race that abuses it or the creatures that dwell in it .The human race is killing our oceans with greed and ignorance and if we don't stop - ultimately we will sign our own death warrant, or at the very least make life tougher for the people we have borrwed this earth from. Our children, their children and their children's children.

[Captain Paul Watson]

I was not aware that we had a public relations office. The fact is that Japan took only half their quota for the last two season because of Sea Shepherd interventions. There is no disputing the numbers. Prior to our interventions they had alrways taken their quota. People may not like our methods but we don't hurt anyone, we have not been charged with any crime and we get results. As for being a blowhard, it is also a fact that blowing hard has more of an impact than blowing soft.

Captain Paul Watson

[Paul Whatson]

Since the Japanese have never caught anything close to 1000 whales in the Southern Ocean in any one year offering to lower the number is an empty gesture that won't save one whale it will just change where they die. I think BOB is right Iceland is selling and Japan is buying therefore they don't need as many "research" subjects. And let's not forget Norway is another nation that has gone back to commercial whaling with Iceland they kill 1000+ a year legally through IWC article XI .

[Bob]

It's not that Japan is succumbing to the pressure from blowhards like Paul Watson; it's because whale meat can be bought for less money from Iceland than what it takes to send 4 or 5 ships to the Antarctic for several months.

Also, don't forget the bargaining that's going on with the IWC for the allowance of coastal whaling. I find it disappointing when I hear "it's not helping the situation, it's simply moving it." Those who take the time to think about what it means to move the whaling operation back north will realize that the reason most countries don't send vessels to protest is because they are bound by the Antarctic Treaty and are forbidden from interfering with any research operation, regardless if it's a disguised commercial operation.

Whale products are few and far between, and Japan and Iceland are two of the very few nations to still eat whale meat. The idea that this concession would mean the extinction of the species is flawed - Iceland ignores the ban, and Japan has been harvesting all the whales they wanted for quite a while. Drop the ban, and I doubt Japan will really increase its take. I also don't believe that the other modern nations would retrofit their ships to try and resurrect an industry that died over a century ago.

[socrateos]

Anti-walling is essentially a racist activity that is intolerant to different culture, disguised under environmentalist movement. "Eating beef is good; eating whale meat is bad." But they don't want to say it openly because it sounds too racist; so they hides its identities by wearing an environmentalist mask.