I realize the Japanese are not Americans and thus may not in the minds of some be accorded the same assumption of innocence we enjoy here in America. So in your mind are they guilty before until proven innocent? You sure make it sound that way.
The ICRW makes an exception that whales can be taken for scientific purposes and that is what Japan claims it is doing. Until it is proven otherwise in a court of law they have not broken any laws. Conversely, the lawless band of hippie pirates have been found guilty on several counts; heck, they even brag about it. They risk peoples' lives. To my knowledge the Japanese whalers actions do not come close to doing that, unless, of course, you want to blame them for the hippies steering their boat in front of the larger ship. I don't.
These innocent Japanese are selling the whales to the highest bidder, for "research" of course. Maybe the research would be to find out which upscale Tokyo restaurant will contribute the most to the "research" fund.
I would agree that the whalers actions don't even come close to what the hippie lunatics are doing. If I was commanding one of the whalers, the Sea Shepard and its crew would have met Davey Jones a long time ago.
That being said, don't try to blow smoke at us here that the Japanese are not lying about their "research". If the "research" didn't pay well, they wouldn't put up with a bunch of crazy American hippies...and if the Hippies didn't have a TV gig, they would have gone home a long time ago.
The guiding principle here is "MONEY TALKS, AND BULLSHIT WALKS"