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Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

bbc.com

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Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#31

Post by ralphie02 »

arghwhat wrote: post #22
NeonTiger1992 wrote: post #2

"My heart is overflowing with happiness, and I'm deeply moved," said Yoshifumi Kai, head of the Japan Small-Type Whaling Association. "People have hunted whales for more than 400 years in my hometown."- Just because something has long-standing traditions, doesn't mean that should be continued. We used to burn people for witchcraft and did so for a long time.

> We used to burn people for witchcraft and did so for a long time. Maybe it's just time that we resume that practice.

Don't get the downvote. I thought this was midly funny.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#32

Post by ufmace »

BowBun wrote: post #11

I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.

This. The moratorium was supposed to be about not allowing the species to be driven to extinction. If that's not a risk anymore, exactly what is the problem?

Did these conservationists lie when they told us that this was all about protecting the existence of the species? It sure seems like it's really about eradicating a culture. We all know how well that has gone in the past. Maybe we should interpret future statements from these types of conservationists in light of this.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#33

Post by SkyBelow »

Zenbit_UX wrote: post #15
theseadroid wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consumers are well capable of voting in Japan though, isn't it?

Was their a we shouldn't hunt whale referendum or are you being deliberately obtuse?

It appears that stopping whaling isn't popular enough for candidates to run based upon it, or if they do, not enough of them win. That puts it back on the voters.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#34

Post by ianbicking »

I had hoped when there was an exposé about whale meat, poisoned with heavy metals, being fed to students that this would discourage the practice in Japan: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-whalemeat/whalemeat...

Sadly no. (I also got the impression that people didn't want to eat whale meat, which was why it was being foisted onto kids.)

Do the countries that hunt whales test the whale meat systematically?

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#35

Post by siffland »

NeonTiger1992 wrote: post #2

"My heart is overflowing with happiness, and I'm deeply moved," said Yoshifumi Kai, head of the Japan Small-Type Whaling Association. "People have hunted whales for more than 400 years in my hometown."- Just because something has long-standing traditions, doesn't mean that should be continued. We used to burn people for witchcraft and did so for a long time.

"the culture and way of life will be passed on to the next generation."

In certain states, fathers take their sons to KKK rally's to pass on their "culture and way of life", does not make it right.......

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#36

Post by dredds »

BowBun wrote: post #11

I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.

Sure, if they 'preserved their culture' by whaling in traditional wooden craft in Japanese waters that would be fine, but they bring their mechanized slaughter factories deep into Southern Oceans around New Zealand and Antarctica where local whale sightseeing (tourism) is a far more sustainable and ecological enterprise.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#37

Post by Hamuko »

rasz wrote: post #17
baud147258 wrote: post #12

Note that "scientific" whaling by Japan hadn't stopped during that time frame; I put scientific in quotes because its scientific value was discutable

They were researching the number of whales a whaling ship can hunt per season.

I always thought it was to figure out how small of a tin can you can fit a whale in.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#39

Post by PhasmaFelis »

BowBun wrote: post #11

I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.

> I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal.

Japan has never cared about sustainable whale-hunting before.

Re: Japan resumes commercial whaling after 30 years

#40

Post by ufmace »

ben_w wrote: post #16
BowBun wrote: post #11

I see nothing wrong with sustainably farming whales like any other animal. Certain species have been endangered and those should be protected, but responsible consumption of traditional foods is an important way to preserve culture.

From what I’ve gathered, Japanese whaling is about as traditional as British rule of Africa, India, and America. Although the article quotes a hunter claiming their village has done it for 400 years, it also later says “A number of coastal communities in Japan have hunted whales for centuries but consumption only became widespread after World War Two when other food was scarce.” Also, whales aren’t being farmed, they…

What is the correct amount of time for a tradition to exist before it deserves to be protected?
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