Japan says 'sabotage' hurt whaling hunt

upi ^ | March. 9, 2012

[JoeProBono]

TOKYO, -- Japan says its whaling fleet ended its annual antarctic hunt with just a third of its target catch of more than 900 whales, and blamed "sabotage" by activists.

Fisheries Minister Michihiko Kano said Friday "sabotage" by the Sea Shepherd environmental protest flotilla along with bad weather resulted in the reduced catch of its whaling program, The Australian newspaper reported.

The U.S.-based anti-whaling group follows the Japanese fleet south every year in a bid to disrupt its hunt.

Commercial whaling has been banned for 25 years but Japan catches about 1,000 whales annually in what it says is a scientific research program.

Japan's decision to recall its fleet from the Southern Ocean was welcomed by the Australian government, which said it condemned all commercial whaling, "including Japan's so-called 'scientific' whaling program."

"Japan's whaling activities are contrary to international law," a government statement said. "That is why Australia commenced and will continue legal action in the International Court of Justice."

Anti-whaling groups said they were pleased that the Japanese fleet left the Southern Ocean.

"I think it's been a very successful campaign," Sea Shepard President Paul Watson told the BBC. "I predicted they wouldn't take over 30 percent and they got 26 percent, so we were right on that one."

[Truth29]

"What would the Russians do?"

What pirates? We left them in an open boat near an iceberg. They were fine... :-D

[JerseyanExile]

It gets worse - from what I’ve read, whale meat isn’t actually that popular anymore in Japan. There isn’t enough of a market to support the industry, so massive amounts of it get funneled into school lunch programs or low-income food assistance. It’s supported by a government subsidy made for reasons of national pride and to keep that industry at work.

[moehoward]

True that. There’s several good books out there on the subject.

It’s always puzzled me how Freepers who detest obama’s crony capitalist programs, can cheer the Japanese and ICR alliance. It’s about the same as cheering every Chevy Volt that you see rolling down the street.

[Utilizer]

I'm not surprised, mate. I lived in Japan near Aki-Habura for almost four years, and on at least one occasion ate whale meat unknowingly with a ramen meal and from what I recall of the experience it tasted like nothing so much as overcooked tasteless beef. Lots of spices in the dish to overcome the taste, and overall not impressive in the least.

The Nihonjin I knew personally said flat out that they did not like whale meat, and it was generally reserved for the poorest of the poor that could afford nothing better -although some 'high-end' establishments paraded dishes featuring it as some manner of exclusive meal. Pretty presentations at least, from what I gathered from the pictures on the menu.

They could not even sell it as a fried snack dish, and from a country that manages to sell seaweed-coated puffed fried ricechips as a snack selection, that is saying much.

I think actually most of the reason Japan continues its whale harvesting is so as to not 'lose face' in the eyes of the rest of the world by backing down from the pressure to cease their activities.

[JimRed]

I just wish they were kept to a “harvest” of much fewer than the 300 they managed to kill.

So I say keep this particular “sabotage” up.

Respectful disagreement on the last part. I have no use for whaling in general, but I have even less use for the kind of dirtbags who will protect whales but demand the right to kill babies.

They should be using legal means of getting change, not illegal attacks. The Jap whalers should be equipped with defensive armaments. Three inch naval guns sound about right, effective range of about three miles.