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© 2012 AFPAustralia's legal challenge to Japan whaling moves closer
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© 2012 AFP
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Probie
Can't wait for this case to get thrown out.
zenkan
All power to Australia.
guuzendesu
Well, maybe not ALL power...
cl400
Just wondering, how do Japan prove that they are actually doing research? Research for what? I hope the Oz government and fellow supporting countries win this case. The results of research the other side is doing is, these beautiful animals will one day become extinct if unless whaling stops.
Wonbatto
I wouldn't put all whale species in the same boat (so to speak). The fin whale is endangered, but the minke isn't.
YuriOtani
The Japanese position is based on a lie. There is no worthwhile research just the catch for the meat.
Americanhonor
These so called research hunts should be restricted and limited to minke whales only.
SamuraiBlue
YuriOtani
There is no logical reason to maintain the moratorium that was supposed to be lifted more then a decade ago.
You can't point one's fault without admiting the fault of your own, otherwise it is seen as hypocrisy.
smithinjapan
cl400: The Japanese 'research' with whaling is how it tastes with mayonnaise as opposed to drowned in soy sauce.
Good on Australia. Not that Japan will listen -- they'll just call it an attack on 'culture and tradition' while forgetting they call it science and have only been doing in the Southern Ocean for a couple of decades.
Frank Vaughn
Zenkan, don't forget New Zealand.
avigator
If you support anti-Japanese whaling, you can also support boycott of Japanese products. After China's boycott, they became frightened to the bones. A merchant without customers is bankrupt.
Funnybonesup
Why do you think we buy Samsung in Australia these days instead of Sony, Sharp and Panasonic? Because we are voting with our CASH, over your ongoing stubborn, ignorant, ego driven slaughter of whales. There are millions of us lined up behind the likes of Sea Shepherd, providing finance and safe anchorage. Those Japanese companies are being driven into the ground by your determination to kill animals that we love. Enjoy your whale meat meal and then go join an unemployment line somewhere.
Athletes
Buying TV is not relevant with Whaling issue. I have many friends in Adelaide and Perth. They prefer to buy Sharp, Sony and Panasonic. However most of them settled with Korean or Chinese brands. The reason is high cost. Pro Whaling and Anti Whaling is a legal battle between commercial interest and wild life conservation.
Wonbatto
I highly doubt that very many people in Australia are making the decision to buy Japan-made vs. non-Japan-made electronics based mostly on the question of whaling.
International boycotts are tricky. They may be warranted in cases of gross abuses of human rights that the government supports (e.g. South Africa pre-1994) but if the goal is to boycott every country with policies that you don't like, there won't be much left.
Outta here
Yes and then we woke up to ourselves and had the maturity to stop.... Pity Japan isn't there yet.
Zenpun
There is a legal case between pro and anti whaling. In my opinion, Japan does not need to surrender everything for the sake of conservation. As a nation with limited land and resources which is prone to natural disasters, they do not need to follow the every foot steps of continent size with resources rich nation. If things are sustainable and humane, limited whaling should be allowed. After all, Japan is not only whaling nation on the earth.
overchan
How much money gives australia this whale watching?
OssanAmerica
Chinese who mix anti-whaling with anti-Japan are funny, http://www.chinasmack.com/2012/pictures/meat-of-dead-beached-whales-cut-off-overnight.html
Koreans who mix anti-whaling with anti-Japan are also funny. http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/whale_meat_consumption_rising_in_south_korea/
OssanAmerica
Australian only awoke to the fact that Whaling had become unprofitable due to the replacement of hale products by petroleum products. Even then, Australia didn't close down it's last whale processing (read butchering) plant until as late as 1978. Many Australians support eco-terrorism and are anti-whaling because of their belief that the Antarctic waters are theirs which most of the planet disagrees with.
OssanAmerica
China's claim that Okinawa has always been theirs since ancient times may be easier to substantiate than what you say.
YuriOtani
Not everyone who is against whaling is "anti-Japanese" Not all Japanese agree with the official position. I support Australia on this issue.
OssanAmerica
"The Japanese position is based on a lie. There is no worthwhile research just the catch for the meat."
According to the many posts by the anti-whaling crowd there IS no demand for whale meat and of tons of it are sitting in storage. So then why would the purpose be "just the catch for the meat"?
YuriOtani
The only purpose of whaling is to measure the contents of the stomach and check for pollutants. There is a nice picture of a mother whale and her calf going up the chute. There is no scientific reason to kill the whales, so that leaves only one thing.
Kobuta Chan
Do you think Australian Government is seriously about going to court for Whaling? Labor Government will be only interested if they can benefit from that. It's poll rating for Labor Government. Julia Gillard and Tony Burk knew going to court will be wasting Tax payers' money but politically they will get support from Green. Only four or five nations are recognized Australian Antarctic Territory. So Australian has no authority over Whaling in Southern Ocean. I hate someone is telling you must not eat this and that.
OssanAmerica
So now that is the purpose? You just said it was for the meat. OK, can we determine stomach contents and pollutant contamination without killing the whales?
Outta here
Oh and just to correct you many Australians support the anti whaling groups because of the Japanese arrogance over this issue and the Japanese belief they can push their beliefs on everyone. But really that is just so typically Japanese. Oh and you need to remember that the anti whaling sentiment isn't confined to Australia but nearly every nation down here
Nessie
Why would they make a secret about fulfilling the IWC mandate for using the whales taken in research whaling? Biased article from the get-go.
SamuraiBlue
utta here
Arrogance?
I believe it was the anti-whaling group based on emotional belief with no scientific data to back up their cause that started this agitated by the beef producers to increase their market.
It's not purly based on ecology either since the less requirement of beef means better land utilization leading to less global warming gas. Cow emits as much global warming gas(methane and carbon dioxide) as a car.
YuriOtani
Kobuta there is no sane reason for either test. By this time the "scientists" should know what and how much they eat and if you do not eat them there is no need to know pollutants. Since their is no scientific need there leaves only one reason for whaling. Most Japanese (me included) can not stand the stuff! So this is what the Americans call a "pork" project to keep whalers employed.
OssanAmerica
That's hardly a correction to anything. It's the Australians who have territorial designs on an area that they aren't suppose to have and are arrogant enough to think they can impose their will over international waters. Supporting eco-terrorists and filing a claim at the ICJ that they themselves don't even think they can win. Classic.
Yea, it's shared by nations who all have a claim to Antarctic waters. A claim not recognized by any other countries including the United States.
OssanAmerica
You seem to be disregarding what the IWC was created for; to regulate the Whaling Industry. All research and concervation measures are to maintain whale stocks for the purpose of supporting the whaling industry. In that light what Japan is doing makes perfect sense both legally and rationally. I fear you're letting your own dislike of eating whale meat influence your opinion.
Outta here
OssanAmerica
Sorry but what are you talking about? Our claim to Antarctic land and therefore waters predates the Antarctic treaty by oh a mere 100 years. So rather than rely on a treaty ( mind you Japan has a great history at abiding by treatys now doesn't it?). You might look beyond the piece of paper and look at a longbstanding history which as l said predates your treaty by a century.
Who cares what the US recognises and doesn't. You do realize the world doesn't revolve around the US and it's opinion....
SamuraiBlue
YuriOtani
I really do not know why you can make such a generalized statement, there maybe many but certainly not most hate whale meat.
As for pork barrel, actually any and all resposible government will assist a domestic indsutry that is penalized internationally with not apperant reason. It's the same as going to WTO to file an action against another country that is dumping in the export market.
SamuraiBlue
Outta here
Not by a country mile, the Australia claim was only established in 1933 and the Antarctica treaty was signed in 1961. At either time there was no concept of EEZ so Australia does not have any claim in that part no matter what.
nigelboy
Speaking of not abiding a treaty, the claim of territorial waters on the Antarctic is in of itself a VIOLATION of ATS.
OssanAmerica
Most of the world including Australia. Even our adversaries care.
arrestpaul
This case still doesn't have a court date????? It could eventually be listed for sometime in 2014 also or the AU Green party could lose it's seats and the case could be dropped before a court date is ever assigned.
caffeinebuzz
" It's the Australians who have territorial designs..."
Seriously? Australia has far better relations with its neighbours than Japan could ever boast, and that's despite those neighbours being vastly different culturally and ethnically. I object to Japanese whalers traveling thousands of kilometres to kill species for highly dubious reasons. Months ago, Japanese whalers violated Australian territory, and yet within a week the Japanese government/media were bleating on about another Chinese boat showing up in the Senkaku islands.