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The subject of whaling certainly stirs the emotions of most people. New Zealanders and Australians are particularly found of whales and are currently doing all that they can to legally stop Japan from killing these beautiful creatures. Whaling is a gruesome and barbaric practice. Just do a search on Youtube and you really will see some disgusting and disturbing images.

I believe whales should be protected and respected. I am all for a total whale ban. However, living in Japan for so long had given me more of a balanced understanding of whaling and what it is to Japan. On two occasions I have eaten whale. The first occasion I was unaware of what I was eating and on the second I was in a position where I felt I was strongly compelled to eat it. My employer at the time had taken me and my mother out to dinner. He was the president of a large chain of restaurants. He ordered the whale meat especially for my mother and I. I felt it would be insulting to not eat the meat. It was actually raw whale meat. It was cold and quite tough. I felt it really didn’t taste all that good.

Why Japan whales

Japan’s whaling certain gives the country a very bad public image in New Zealand and Australia. I have spoken to many Japanese about this and they find it difficult to understand. Whale meat is pretty much on a par with beef. Japan don’t see whale as wonderful majestic mammals. Unfortunate as it is they see them as a food source and viable industry.

In fairness to Japan it should be known that the reality is most Japanese don’t eat whale. A majority of my friends and students have in fact never eaten whale. Traditionally whale was a cheap source of protein for the Japanese diet and was prepared for school lunches. In elementary school in Japan lunch is provided for students. Now , most Japanese now don’t eat whale, either because they choose not too or because it is not sold at most supermarkets. It has now become more a delicacy served at expensive restaurants.

The arguments the Japanese make for whaling is that it is a tradition, a food source and that they use the entire whale carcass for not only food, but oil and materials for crafts. Japan believe they have a right to choose it’s own food source and hunt what it wants.

I guess what makes New Zealand, Australia and the US angry are the lies, and dirty work Japan does to go about getting a ban on commercial whale hunting lifted. Japan maintains that it hunts whale for scientific research. I am not sure as why Japan needs to research whales or the kind of research it does. It is interesting to note that since the International Whaling Commission suspension on commercial whaling in 1987 Japan has managed to steadily increased it’s catch of whales under its special permit for scientific research, from 273 in 1987 to over 1200 in 2005. Japan also hunts very close to New Zealand and Australia. In recent years there have been dangerous classes with protesters and whaling boats.

Japan has also been accused of bribing developing countries to help them get votes to pass a resolution calling for the return of commercial whaling. Japan has also threatened to pull out of the International Whaling Commission altogether. Japan also believes whales are depleting fish stocks.