Japan resumes whale meat imports

Saturday 29th November, 11:09 PM JST

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HaroldSteptoe at 05:16 AM JST - 30th November

uperjer- Gawd, How gratefull will one be, when one is seriously ill or dying becuse of the massive amounts of toxins consumed from eating this "delicious food source"? The imports show Japans real intentions. A nation not to be trusted by the rest of the world. Japan you are digging your own grave, oh yes, just wait and see.
RakishGadfly at 06:06 AM JST - 30th November

Asara;

Anybody who eat whale meat is cursed.

Yes, I believe I saw an episode of Scooby-Doo about this.
Anomaly_Jr at 06:16 AM JST - 30th November

I am all against hunting whales for any purpose, but....

I admit that on one drunken final feast before I left Japan we ordered a whale steak at an Izakaya under the tracks somewhere in central Tokyo and.. and... I'm sorry but it was delicious. Just like a soft, juicy and quite rare steak.

Some other of the old-school JT posters were with me. You know who you are...

While the story horrifies friends and family back home, I think I have a better position to argue for it.
RakishGadfly at 06:24 AM JST - 30th November

I've eaten it once and didn't like it either, but have no problem with whales being hunted so long as the ones being hunted are not threatened or endangered and there is an actual demand for it, which is debatable.
japanidol at 08:13 AM JST - 30th November

We should boycott Japanese products to show our disgust!!!

Well you can start by turning off your computer and cell phone!
NuckinFutz at 08:44 AM JST - 30th November

Iceland has to sell this stuff because they have no other way to dispose of toxic waste. Japanese people on the other hand worry about Chinese chemicals, American beef, other imported food while stuffing thier faces with methyl-mercury-laced whale meat. This will just speed the extinction of the race.
Youdontknow at 09:49 AM JST - 30th November

Whale meat tastes delicious and is similar to many other meats on the market . However, I don't condone the killing of these beautiful creatures just for the sake of consumption.

It's high time that Japan stopped trying to fob off the world with bullshit excuses such as 'research purposes' when they go hunting whales too. As for Iceland - shame on you too for ignoring international outcry against the commercialism of these dwindling in numbers creatures.
uperjer at 09:54 AM JST - 30th November

uperjer- Gawd, How gratefull will one be, when one is seriously ill or dying becuse of the massive amounts of toxins consumed from eating this "delicious food source"? The imports show Japans real intentions. A nation not to be trusted by the rest of the world. Japan you are digging your own grave, oh yes, just wait and see.

wtf are you talking about? i've never been poisoned. whale is good stuff. get off your moral high horse and try to stop the death penalty if you're that concerned.
Molenir at 11:10 AM JST - 30th November

Gawd, How gratefull will one be, when one is seriously ill or dying becuse of the massive amounts of toxins consumed from eating this "delicious food source"?

Whale meat has no higher levels of toxins then a normal fish does.
Personally, I'm all in favor of whaling, as long as the species isn't endangered. They're nothing more then cows of the sea, and believe me, I have no problem eating beef! I've had whale before too. It was good, though not great. Would have been better had it been prepared differently though.
elbudamexicano at 12:32 PM JST - 30th November

I once tried the whale sashimi at Kujiraya in Shibuya, it was horrible! All bloody, pouring blood from the whale sashimi, it was very expensive and I prefer to have maguro sashimi anyday. SAVE THE WHALES!
cleo at 01:12 PM JST - 30th November

Whether whale meat tastes good or not is beside the point. Find a way to kill whales humanely first, then start looking for recipes.

Whale meat has no higher levels of toxins then a normal fish does.

And what's your definition of a 'normal fish'? A swordfish, with an average of 222.3 mg of mercury in a 6 oz serving (nearly 6 x the EPS safety guideline)? Or Chilean sea bass, with an average of 68.1 mg per serving (1.75x)? Or tuna, with an average of 55.8 mg (1.5x)?

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/23/MNGIO394FI1.DTL

Would you agree that jumping off the top of Sunshine 60 is no more dangerous than jumping our of a low-flying aeroplane?
bebert at 01:13 PM JST - 30th November

I agree with OssanAmerica, Iceland needs the money - and Japan seems to want whale meat. So, it's fair trade. But American Indians also need the money. Not every tribe owns a casino. So, Japan should consider buying whale meat from American Indian nations in the United States, too.
Triumvere at 01:35 PM JST - 30th November

"So, Japan should consider buying whale meat from American Indian nations in the United States, too."

I think your geography is slightly off.
Yelnats at 07:18 PM JST - 30th November

Most whales are vegetarians. The toxin thing is very wrong. I actually love whale bacon,but it is too much fat these days. 25 years ago, bacon was wonderful. I do like whale blubber too, served with a dip of soy sauce and spicy mustard. Raw whale steaks are a bit too strong, and smell, but BBQ whale meat is heaven. If there are enough of them out there, then harvest them.
taiko666 at 04:51 PM JST - 2nd December

elbudamexicano

I think one of the reasons Japan makes such an issue about whaling is to divert attention from its hideous over-fishing of everything else, including tuna. It works too.