Japan, U.S. in talks to allow Japan to engage in 'coastal whaling'

Monday 26th January, 05:49 AM JST

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Potsu at 10:14 AM JST - 27th January

imacat...this is hardly an issue for Japan.For a very small part of Japanese society perhaps...just ask the average Japanese person on the street.
davidattokyo at 10:15 AM JST - 27th January

spudman,

in the end, adds up to Japan losing the PR battle

They do lose the PR battle in the western media, no doubt. They are completely out-resourced. There is a massive commercial anti-whaling industry that feeds off production of mis-information.

But who wins the PR battle is not a factor that individuals should be taking into serious consideration when forming their opinion about any certain subject matter, and certainly not something a government should base it's policy upon.

looking for an out.

They are looking to further their aims, and the fact that they've got the anti-whaling nations talking proposals to allow even the Japanese to conduct commercial whaling indicates that perhaps they aren't being entirely unsuccessful?

If you want "looking for an out", go take a look at Australia's Labor party before and after they won the Australian election in 2007. I've never seen a bigger about face in years of following this whaling kafuffle.

If their purpose was about preserving their "shokubunka"

Whaling is not not just about "shokubunka". Tolerance for diverse culture is just one small part of the issue.

I still fail to see how they expect people to believe that randomly killing a species is a means of understanding the natural population swings.

The reality is that this stuff is going to go over the heads of most people - and that's fine. That's what we have scientists to advise politicians for. At the end of the day, unless the anti-whalers are going to compromise on their hard-line "no whaling ever, not a single one" stance, the whaling nations are going to pursue their aims via other forums and at that point whether anti-whaling joe bloggs understands the science or not is pretty much 100% irrelevant.

OssanAmerica,

I'm glad I could put you straight on Norway and Iceland. They have just as much misinformation spread about them as do the Japanese.

What a totally stupid and irrelevant question. Is every anti-whaling poster here a member or contributor of Sea Shepherd? So what either way?

Yes, these sorts of questions show the quality of the general (stress, general) type of person who opposes whaling. They can't play good ball, so they play the man.

imacat,

I'm not going to waste time and space rebutting your endlessly regurgitated mischaracterisations, but I will give you this little prediction to file it away, as you do, and you can bring it up as much as you like if I am wrong: Japan will still be permitting the exploitation of Antarctic whale resources on the high seas months and years from now (now I wait with interest to see how you will miscontrue even this simple prediction).
imacat at 10:21 AM JST - 27th January

Yes, these sorts of questions show the quality of the general (stress, general) type of person who opposes whaling. They can't play good ball, so they play the man.

Just to note that "the man" has posted literally 1000s of posts running into hundreds of thousands of words across multiple boards all over the internet! Draw your own conclusions...
cleo at 10:21 AM JST - 27th January

Why don't all those who are under the impression that whaling is somehow uniquely "barbaric" run a search of "slaughterhouse" on youtube?

As a vegetarian I'm certainly not going to suggest that everything that goes on in abattoirs is all sugar and light. And I'm not going to make myself feel ill for the rest of the day by watching beef snuff videos on YouTube. I've seen some pretty horrendous ones in the past, and I'm allergic to them.

But I'm pretty sure the abattoir modus operandi does not include anything like the horror of a whale hunt. If it did, you'd have men in high-speed tanks chasing the terrified cows around a field until they were slowed down enough for the harpoon gun on top of the tank to get a shot in. Then if the exploding harpoon didn't kill the animal immediately, as it often doesn't, the beast would be forced to trail the harpoon line behind it as it slowly bled to death, spilling entrails as it went. And if the bleeding was taking too long they would hang the cow up by its tail with its head in a pool of its own blood until it drowned.

Moderator: Readers, once again, we ask you not to go off on tangents about abattoirs. The subject is whaling.
imacat at 10:23 AM JST - 27th January

but I will give you this little prediction to file it away... Japan will still be permitting the exploitation of Antarctic whale resources on the high seas months and years from now

Well, you've been completely wrong-footed by Japan's decision to consider an agreement to get out of the Antarctic, so judging on your recent performance I think we can file away your prediction in the waste bin.
imacat at 10:26 AM JST - 27th January

Tolerance for diverse culture is just one small part of the issue.

Rubbish. Japan makes a huge issue of it. And that's what people can't understand... how on earth can Japan's culture stretch to include the Antarctic?!
Stonefish at 12:01 PM JST - 27th January

Pathetic. So suddenly Japan doesn't have any research interests in the Antarctic waters? Grow Up Japan.
davidattokyo at 12:55 PM JST - 27th January

imacat,

you've been completely wrong-footed by Japan's decision to consider an agreement to get out of the Antarctic

The proposal isn't to "get out of the Antarctic", it's to scale back it's operations there to give the anti-whalers something to hold up as a victory while Japan resumes commercial whaling. I doubt very much that Japan would agree to "get out of the Antarctic", as you claim, and indeed expect that they won't agree to anything that precludes future exploitation there.

I think we can file away your prediction in the waste bin.

So you admit that you think I'm right. It's OK, I know you want to keep up your act.

Rubbish. Japan makes a huge issue of [culture]

You have a tendency to misinterpret and mischaracterise what others have said, taking things out of context and ignoring anything that doesn't suit the story that you want to buy. You should mark your understanding on that point down as your own mistake.

Stonefish,

So suddenly Japan doesn't have any research interests in the Antarctic waters?

Of course they do. They need to research whale populations so as to determine how best to exploit them on an optimal basis, this is a standard in marine resource exploitation.
davidattokyo at 12:56 PM JST - 27th January

spudman,

the Japanese whaling industry has hired Glenn Inwood from Wellington New Zealand to do PR for them.

True, it seems!

David is from Wellington

True!

the financial arrangements are between them. So yes he has a financial interest in posting his organizations opinions

Needless to say, completely untrue :) But then people who believe the wacky anti-whaling conspiracy theories will believe anything...
Molenir at 05:47 PM JST - 27th January

I think this is great. Restarting commercial whaling would be a good thing, provided its managed properly. Hope it works out.
OhioDonna at 04:55 AM JST - 28th January

I agree with Molenir. I am not against whaling if proper measures are taken. I do not think whale meat is at the top of food list in Japan.
notimpressed at 04:44 PM JST - 30th January

why was my post removed? It was not inpolite, and it was on topic. I honestly do not believe that Davidattokyo should have the right to post proffesional bias and propaganda here. He is not an impartial commentator as he claims to be. JT is so frustrating sometimes.

Moderator: You are to focus your comments on the story, not at or about other readers. As for impartiality, posters do not have to be impartial. A very poor contribution from you.
notimpressed at 06:30 PM JST - 30th January

Okeydokey, I just dont see how you know so much about this without being involved in it. I dont care who you are, or who youwork for. I car ethat you only se eyour opwn side of the argument, which seems to be motivated by more than what you claim. I peonsally think that whale meat tastes terrible an dthat we can do just fine without it. You seem to be hell bent on pushing Japans agenda, when you claim to be a kiwi? I find it odd, and unsettling, and not genuine in the least. and the only flattering is being done by yourself about yourself. I'll leave it there, I don"t really feel like being a debate that goes in circles like this one, with you or any one else. It seems noone has any true perspective, including myself often enough.So, Enjoy your whale meat. peace
davidattokyo at 08:05 PM JST - 30th January

notimpressed,

I just dont see how you know so much about this without being involved in it.

I've been following this issue with ever increasing interest for more than a decade now. Anyone who is interested and has an internet connection can "know so much" as me.

your opwn side of the argument, which seems to be motivated by more than what you claim.

It may seem to you to be that way, the reality is different.

You seem to be hell bent on pushing Japans agenda

I support Iceland and Norway too, plus I also support the sustainable harvest of elephants and other so-called "charismatic mega-fauna", if it makes you feel better. I'm "utilization" oriented, rather than "protectionism" oriented. That's all.

you claim to be a kiwi?

Lots of kiwis have nothing against sustainable whaling.

Enjoy your whale meat. peace

Thanks!
moose1255874 at 04:15 PM JST - 1st February

Country's are starting to boycott Japan due to it's Whaling stance, just take a look at it's economy compared to other country's and Canada will be next. I as an Australian wish this wasn't the case. Whale meat is not only highly toxic which they feed to the kids in schools for lunch. But now is effecting their economy. No one wants to deal with a country that poisons it's own people. Please Japan Government change your stance on whaling and help your country.