Hearts, tails and blubber at Japan fin whale tasting event

Cool, I love me some free range, sustainably harvested whale food, when I happen upon it. Never had a problem with fried whale smelling bad myself, so I presume that’s a relic of the Showa era preparation.

I wonder how many fin whales the rules permit to be caught.

And sorry, but the “conservationists” blew their pretense of genuine conservation when they denied that even a single whale be caught, despite that being obviously sustainable. That’s an empirically proven fact.

He look.like ,he has not misses a meal, eating whale out of vanity, should be unacceptable to humanity,it not like Japanese are not starving,it not a culture thing, because it not a wide practice,but done out of vanity

Cool, I love me some free range, sustainably harvested whale food, when I happen upon it.

The rich amounts of mercury must be good for your cognition, I can see that.

https://news.fiu.edu/2021/whale-consumption-should-be-dramatically-decreased-in-caribbean-to-avoid-mercury-poisoning

Send some delicious fin whale meat to the anti-whaling activist Watson who is in detention in Greenland. He’ll love it.

@fxgai

so if something is sustainable, it’s ok to kill it?. Ok.

What a repugnant event.

You'd have to be insane to eat any of this:

"EIA’s research over the past 15 years shows that cetacean products from Japan's coastal hunts consistently exceed the Government of Japan's recommended safe limits for pollutants such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Of the 341 products tested for mercury during that period, 56 per cent exceeded the Government provisional recommended limit for fish and shellfish. In the most recent tests, conducted in 2015, all 20 products exceeded the Government limit for mercury. The maximum concentration recorded in 2015 was found in a product labelled as long-finned pilot whale; it contained 19 parts per million (ppm) total mercury, a concentration 47 times higher than the safe limit. Published studies by Japanese scientists have documented pollutant levels several hundreds of times higher than the Government’s recommended levels. Indeed, some products tested have carried such high pollutant loads that they could cause acute mercury poisoning from a single meal."

Here's the whole 2015 report:

https://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA-Dangerous-Diet-FINAL.pdf

"Once young people eat it and they realize it's good, they will eat it more and more,”

No, they won’t. Whenever it was served-up in school lunches, it was left on the plates in droves. So much so, that my school area, thankfully, no longer serves whale meat. I think the kids have spoken.

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@fxgai

so if something is sustainable, it’s ok to kill it?. Ok.

Bingo.

But I’d go further and claim that eating free range whales that have lived a natural life in their own habitat is both environmentally superior and more humane than is say penning up pigs and farming them for meat.

I’m not saying that I would deny pig farming, only that whaling is superior.

And the ultimate test of this is, would you rather be reborn as a whale, or as a pig, considering all you know about the life that would await?

I don’t think any honest person would claim they rather be penned up as a pig, rather than left to roam the ocean eating plankton and fish and whatnot as a whale.

You'd have to be insane to eat any of this:

"EIA’s research

Yup I don’t pay attention to groups like EIA either.

Whenever it was served-up in school lunches, it was left on the plates in droves. 

My kids enjoyed it though… not sure I can trust what you say over my own loved experience.

Fin whale the roast chicken of the sea. yummy. It goes well with a glass of fermenting grape juice that been squeezed through the toes of peasant farmer daughters.

My kids enjoyed it though… not sure I can trust what you say over my own loved experience.

As John Lennon said, whatever gets you thru’ the night. It’s alright…..

I don't give a horses. . .tail what anyone else thinks. I'd love to try this. If people who object to it post what animals they think are okay to eat, then maybe you could sell me on not eating whale. Looks good to me. Bet KFC appeals to most of the commentors here. Whale for me.

Isn't wale meat something of a novelty meat though? Like bear or crocodile meat or something like that.

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The usual bunch of westerners telling Japanese what they are allowed to eat.

No issue as long as caught within theJapanese exclusive economic zone. And despite the mercury, probably still better for one compared to lab grown meat and bugs.

The Japanese are so good at pissing people off. This event, Yasuyuki, and frankly so many foreigners who come here and want to live and leave 6 months later vowing never to return. I wonder if they ever know or really care?

Hearts, tails and blubber

The title left out one of the main ingredients; high levels of Mercury

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What a repugnant event.

Hear! Hear!

You'd have to be insane to eat any of this:

I concur.

I’ve tried whale a few times in Japan. Didn’t like it much, myself. I would describe it as gamey… like comparing beef to deer (I don’t care for deer either).

But I am adventurous enough to try things though. I was hooked, the very first time I tried horse sashimi at a Japanese Korean Bbq place. Used to eat Yukke, as well, but that isn’t served anymore that I know of. Everyone now serves Sakura Yukke (also horse meat), and I still like it… in most places.

"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Japan's decision to catch them has alarmed conservationists."

Leave them alone.

I hope the diners were tested for mercury poisoning after their meal.

The whole whale industry is paid for by the right wingers in the LDP through massive subsidies. So all of us are paying for the fake dinner above. If not for the massive government support the entire whale "industry" would collapse and quickly vanish. There are tons of whale meet wasting away is storage as no one wants to eat it any longer other than rightwing adherents. Besides, it tastes terrible. Japan ate whale back after WW2 because the country was starving. Not the case today obviously.

Japan government lies to the world,saying they are doing research,but are really preparing for a buffet

"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature 

What do whale resource management scientists say specifically about the fin whale stock that Japan has apparently allowed catch quotas for, though?

There is no point is asking anti-whaling groups what they think about the status of whale stocks given their ulterior motives.

The whale users are the only ones who genuinely care about conserving such natural resources. The rest just want to deny whale users from that opportunity.

I hope the diners were tested for mercury poisoning after their meal.

I don’t know how many tens of times I’ve eaten whale, but my health checks are always coming back perfect.

Heck, maybe it’s the whale meat that has been keeping me healthy…

Japan government lies to the world,saying they are doing research,but are really preparing for a buffet

They were always clear that the research was with the intent to improve resource management, and if nothing else they demonstrated clearly that a degree of whaling is entirely sustainable.

For anyone interested, I found the catch limit set by Japan.

I’m gonna call it slightly over a 1% catch limit versus the estimated number of fin whales in the target stock.

https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/whale/attach/pdf/index-71.pdf

I wonder how many will actually be caught, time will tell.

Alfie NoakesToday  07:40 am JST

You'd have to be insane to eat any of this:

"EIA’s research over the past 15 years shows...

And who was it who funded the report? The for or against?

so the Desperate whale industry has now resorted to treating whale meat as a novelty to attract young eaters. With mercury as a natural condiment in whale meat, the whale industry is doing its part in keeping Japan’s population in decline

I have eaten whale meat before, and aside from the novelty of it, it's not that tasty. Kinda like a weird ocean beef flavor. They are going out of their way to try to "revive" the industry by trying to get young people to eat it. It is a dying tradition. It's been around for a long time and hasn't disappeared yet, yet very few native Japanese are eating it. The only ones holding on to such traditions are the Japanese in the industry and the forgers that want to act like they love it so much. They will never get people to eat whale like the olden days because the younger generation doesn't care to eat it.

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"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Japan's decision to catch them has alarmed conservationists."

Leave them alone.

Why? You don't have to eat them.

bass4funk

"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Japan's decision to catch them has alarmed conservationists."

Leave them alone.

Why? You don't have to eat them.

That is easy to answer.

Because I'm entitled to post my opinion, fin whales are a vulnerable mammal.

Do you eat fin whale meat?

Only the tail and belly are consumed.

Just deliberately obtuse attention-seeking which, once it is condemned, will be turned into a chance for alleged victimhood. Same old Japan.

fin whales are a vulnerable mammal.

Cows are vulnerable mammals too, why do you mean with that?

See the catch quota info I posted. Do you have any scientific reason to believe that the catch quota suggested of approximately 1% would be unsustainable? (Especially so given that according to some English equipped whale taste experts here at JT these whales do not even taste any good)

Only the tail and belly are consumed.

and you know such things because… how? Or are you just parroting what some anti-whaling outfit said and it fits with your personal culture to believe it?

fxgai

fin whales are vulnerable mammals.

Cows are vulnerable mammals too, why do you mean with that?

Cows are not vulnerable mammals.

Only the tail and belly are consumed.

and you know such things because… how? Or are you just parroting what some anti-whaling outfit said and it fits with your personal culture to believe it?

Because it is reported and those are the parts used and for sale.

The majority of Japanese do not eat whales. The industry survives because of massive government subsidies including the construction of the new whaling ship. The industry employs less than 1,000 workers.

fxgai. You expect us to believe that you are only interested in the whaling issue because you are offended that there is, according to some data, a sustainable catch that some people might be threatening? I mean, pull the other one. You have some emotion here in the argument that you are either not letting on about or have not examined. Maybe it is time for you to see where and why.

Some schools are starting to serve it again in their canteens, she said, while products where the whale content isn't obvious -- such as in dumplings -- can increase demand.

If you are forcing or tricking people into eating it, is it really 'demand?'

I have eaten whale meat before, and aside from the novelty of it, it's not that tasty.

Same, and I agree.

Bottom line for me, I eat cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, fish...who am I to tell other people what animals they can or can't eat? Although sei whales are endangered, I believe. I'd probably draw a line there.

It was a starvation food introduced after WWII. The fond memories senior citizen have is of being fed - period. Of course having food beats starving. And having meat trumps soy & crickets.

This article seems to contain untruths or biased perspectives in the following ways:

Health Risks Downplayed: It mentions the taste and appeal of whale meat but does not adequately address the health risks, such as high mercury levels, which are significant concerns.

Conservation Status: While it notes that fin whales are deemed "vulnerable," it does not fully explore the potential ecological impact of hunting these whales.

Cultural Representation: The article suggests that whale meat is a traditional and widely accepted food in Japan, but it may not reflect the views of all Japanese people, especially younger generations who may not favor it.

Economic Justification: The claim that reviving whale meat consumption will help recoup costs for the whaling firm might be overly optimistic and not consider broader market trends and consumer preferences.

These points suggest that the article might present a one-sided view, emphasizing the benefits and downplaying the drawbacks.

Let them eat whatever they want to eat. This all feels like you want to control Japan's market.

The U.S is land-based nation. They have land for cows, pigs, and chickens.

Japan is an island country with water on both sides. Of course, they are going to eat all types of fish.

Seems like other nations are trying to block one type of food so Japan has to buy meats from other countries.

Last time I checked, Japanese live longer than Americans. Go figure.

Most Japanese probably won't even like whale meat. However, we have no right to say what they can and can't eat.

The U.S is land-based nation. They have land for cows, pigs, and chickens. Japan is an island country with water on both sides. Of course, they are going to eat all types of fish.

Well, thanks for telling us that, Redtail. Did you get that self-serving justification from the locals, even down to whales being fish? Can you think of all the ways it is irrelevant?

"Seems like other nations are trying to block one type of food so Japan has to buy meats from other countries."

Poor old Japan, eh?

It's time to stop killing sea animals

Although sei whales are endangered, I believe. I'd probably draw a line there.

I draw a line at genuine sustainability, not what politicized designations might say about the status of this or that animal.

I don’t believe that any of the whales that Japan allows be caught now are genuinely endangered, in the sense that small annual catch quotas in the ball park of 1% of the target populations are going to threaten the stock of whales being targeted - in other words, the limits imposed on the activity is “conservation” in actuality.

And I’m a conservationist.

It was a starvation food introduced after WWII. 

Nonsense, it has been a feature in Japanese culture for hundreds of years. Ask ChatGPT for examples of that if you care to verify it for yourself.

moonrsker,

fxgai. You expect us to believe that you are only interested in the whaling issue because

I don’t see where I told you what to believe about my interests here?

you are offended that there is, according to some data, a sustainable catch that some people might be threatening? I mean, pull the other one.

You have some emotion here in the argument that you are either not letting on about or have not examined.

That’s simple. I have never ever liked the way that Japanese people were depicted in my home media over this issue, after it became apparent to me that what underlies it all is cultural intolerance and lack of respect for fellow humans and our diversity.

Are you cool with that? The sort of word you want to live in?

I am happy to call out the nonsense on this issue, as anyone thinking about it logically cannot but at least accept and tolerate some sustainable whaling by those people with a culture that leads them to want to do so, without causing issues for people of other cultures.

I draw a line at genuine sustainability, not what politicized designations might say about the status of this or that animal.

Good for you. I'll keep my line, you keep yours.

With three-quarters of Japan mountainous and ill-suited to agriculture, Japan has long relied on the sea -- including whales -- as a vital source of food.

This is the old "culture" argument, but I highly doubt it. Withought huge modern whaling ships, how do you even want to catch fin whales? And without transportation infrastructure and cooling, how do you want to transport them to the interior? It does not make sense. The people who advocate "cultural" whale hunting should do it with rowboats and harpoons. Good luck.

Whaling is traditional in Japan, so say some but miss out the whaling was done in open long boats that had to be rowed out to the sea. Catching a single whale was the limit. No exploding harpoons and a factory ship. Man against the whale. Sometimes the whale won.

Withought huge modern whaling ships, how do you even want to catch fin whales?

In your culture no one ever uses newer technology to live more productively and happily?

Amazing.

Stop dreaming up rules to inconvenience people of other cultures. DEI, right.

They come here and knock the local way. They trumpet their inert policlical system has being superior and how their country is looking after the environment and saving whales. Nuc smashing Island into complete no go zone. A culture were you can even walk the street without a AK 47 in any of it cities, that happen be awash with human manure. And they the cultured ones telling Japan you can't hunt whales Total hypocrisy.

John-SanToday 03:55 pm JST

Nuc smashing Island into complete no go zone.

What are you going on about?

I tried it and it was just subpar to readily available meat like beef, pork etc. Most of the people that I know that tried it have the same opinion. This feels like a niche industry pushing to get the bigger market share by force.

https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=whale&searchType=species

The Red List for whales.

All vulnerable, endangered species or more should be left alone.

Saw a nice fish the other day in the supermarket, was ready to buy it but discovered it was vulnerable after checking how to cook it.

For health reasons alone I wouldn't eat whale meat.

About time people educate Japan about eating healthily.

Eating whales is probably the most animal-friendly way to eat animal meat.

One whale can feed a lot of people for a long time.

Haven't seen any comments about the morality argument: Whales have brains much larger than ours, may well communicate in languages every bit as complex and rich as ours within deeply intelligent societies, and though not technologically evolved (they don't have opposable thumbs like we do and can't make tools), they may be spiritually and emotionally more advanced than us. I can't see why we should kill and eat such creatures when these possibilities exist.

Whales have brains much larger than ours

Wow really?

I draw a line at genuine sustainability, not what politicized designations might say about the status of this or that animal.

But the Japanese whaling industry and its associated research bodies are not politicised? Despite being heavily financially subsidised by the actual Japanese government? Okay.

But again, you are entitled to your line.

"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Japan's decision to catch them has alarmed conservationists."

Leave them alone.

Ok, but if the Japanese like the taste of them and want to consume them thereby actually helping to conserve their numbers, who are we to tell them what they can or cannot eat. They don't go around telling us not to eat Beef, pork or chicken.

That is easy to answer.

Because I'm entitled to post my opinion, fin whales are a vulnerable mammal.

Ok, we heard your opinion, thank you, let the Japanese eat what they want, I would be pissed if someone would try and dictate to me what to eat. In fact years ago when I was in LA, I remember a PETA activist stood outside a Chick-fil-A shop and as walked, she got in my face and knocked my food out of my hand, I had to literally catch myself, I cursed that woman out so badly, you don't tell me what to eat, ever, so I really understand their feelings.

Do you eat fin whale meat?

I have, not my favorite, but I will eat it, I will almost eat anything.

Only the tail and belly are consumed.

Orcas usually only consume the tongue of Blue Whales as well.

bass4funk

"Fin whales are deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Japan's decision to catch them has alarmed conservationists."

Leave them alone.

Ok, but if the Japanese like the taste of them and want to consume them thereby actually helping to conserve their numbers, who are we to tell them what they can or cannot eat. They don't go around telling us not to eat Beef, pork or chicken.

That is easy to answer.

Because I'm entitled to post my opinion, fin whales are a vulnerable mammal.

Ok, we heard your opinion, thank you, let the Japanese eat what they want, I would be pissed if someone would try and dictate to me what to eat. In fact years ago when I was in LA, I remember a PETA activist stood outside a Chick-fil-A shop and as walked, she got in my face and knocked my food out of my hand, I had to literally catch myself, I cursed that woman out so badly, you don't tell me what to eat, ever, so I really understand their feelings.

No comment on JT about any topic will change anything.

Do you eat fin whale meat?

I have, not my favorite, but I will eat it, I will almost eat anything.

I wonder where because this was the first fin whale caught by Japan in 48 years.

Only the tail and belly are consumed.

Orcas usually only consume the tongue of Blue Whales as well.

Comparing people to whales.

bass4funkSep. 14 10:27 pm JST

Ok, but if the Japanese like the taste of them and want to consume them thereby actually helping to conserve their numbers,

Consuming animals only raises their number if they can be farmed.

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has calculated that the "allowable catch" of fin whales is 60 per year, in line with the Revised Management Procedure (RMP).

If it's an endangered species, then surely there should be no permission to whale, right?

If Japanese people whale and eat whale meat, beef sales in the US and Australia will fall. You can guess the rest, right?

People who are against whaling are all emotional and have no scientific evidence.

The Japanese have been whaling since ancient times, and they even built shrines for whales.

Are we really going to pin the blame for white people's slaughter of whales on an act that has history and culture? Just like how they made the Japanese military the scapegoat in the World Wars, as if they were the cruellest?

"People are excited about the fin whale... It's just delicious," he told AFP in his trademark whale-themed hat and jacket.

.

I’ve yet to meet any …

> That is easy to answer.

Because I'm entitled to post my opinion, fin whales are a vulnerable mammal.

Ok, you posted it, no need to get emotional, anyway, you don't change it.

No comment on JT about any topic will change anything.

It won't

I wonder where because this was the first fin whale caught by Japan in 48 years.

Fin Whale meat, sorry, my bad, No, I have not. I thought you meant "whale meat" in general. So yes, I have eaten it many times

Comparing people to whales.

Comparing waste to waste

Consuming animals only raises their number if they can be farmed.

Another emotional argument, there are many countries that consume whale meat, not just the Japanese. Again, if that is what they like to eat and part of their culture, who are we to tell them otherwise?

But the Japanese whaling industry and its associated research bodies are not politicised? Despite being heavily financially subsidised by the actual Japanese government? Okay.

Their interests are clearly in the sustainable use of whales.

How did unsustainable use work out for whaling in the past? Was it good for business?

Haven't seen any comments about the morality argument: Whales have brains much larger than ours, may well communicate in languages every bit as complex and rich as ours within deeply intelligent societies, and though not technologically evolved (they don't have opposable thumbs like we do and can't make tools), they may be spiritually and emotionally more advanced than us. I can't see why we should kill and eat such creatures when these possibilities exist.

Not sure who you mean by “we”.

No one says you need to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.

But you might want to meet some of those animals that you eat before you eat them.

For me, eating free range whale is always going to be ethically and morally superior to eating farmed stuff. But that’s just me.

Each to their own, no? Or you want to try to impose your thoughts upon other humans?

Their interests are clearly in the sustainable use of whales.

Good one. As sei whales have become endangered, clearly they're not.

How did unsustainable use work out for whaling in the past? Was it good for business?

The government funded industry says it's sustainable, but you don't trust politicised organisations. Seems you are hoisted with your own petard.

Most of the people that I know that tried it have the same opinion.

What’s your sample size? What biases might affect the validity of it?

This feels like a niche industry pushing to get the bigger market share by force.

Why do you care about other people’s business?

Good one. As sei whales have become endangered, clearly they're not.

When did sei whales become endangered?

The government funded industry says it's sustainable,

No common sense says it’s sustainable, so long as you don’t catch too many.

As for the government funded part, I would like to see a timeline to get tax payer out completely, except for the oversight part.

In general I oppose subsidies, but the problem with the whaling industry was that the Japanese government failed to protect it against foreign influences, unlike other places like Norway and Iceland. Japan has got with the program by quitting the defunct IWC, but the damage done has to be undone.

When did sei whales become endangered?

I don't know. When?

No common sense says it’s sustainable, so long as you don’t catch too many.

And your captured institution is telling you how many is too many? Too bad you don't believe them.

wallace

Whaling is traditional in Japan, 

Again, can you describe this "tradition"? When did it start, and how was it done the "traditional" way? If you mean whale hunting with factory ships, there is nothing traditional about that. If you mean pre-industrial whale hunting, I am all for allowing that, the same way that Alaskan natives are permitted to. But they do not use giant ships to sail to the Antarctic...

Looks well yucky to me. Would I eat this? No way Pedro!

Zaphod

you have miss quoted me and only used the part you wanted, I said;

Whaling is traditional in Japan, so say some but miss out the whaling was done in open long boats that had to be rowed out to the sea. Catching a single whale was the limit. No exploding harpoons and a factory ship. Man against the whale. Sometimes the whale won.

This is just stupid. The moneygrubbers are trying to coax the public to buy in to their business so they can buy more expensive and effective butchering ships and make the owners richer. I think it's just disgusting how they continue their business even when there are a massive protests all around the world against it and it's not even necessary to feed a starving population.

The industrial looting of the seas are a bigger problem than we realize. Look at the size of Tuna in the markets and compare them to those caught 10-15 years ago. Younger and younger specimen are caught and that means that there aren't any fully grown Tunas left in the sea... Will this continue the ecosystem will collapse and then it's to late to repair if we are unlucky.

richer. I think it's just disgusting how they continue their business even when there are a massive protests all around the world against it

what?

When did sei whales become endangered?

Sei whales became classified as endangered primarily due to extensive commercial whaling that peaked in the mid-20th century. Although they were hunted sporadically since the 1860s, significant hunting began in earnest during the 1950s and 1960s when whalers turned to sei whales as populations of more profitable species like blue and fin whales dwindled. Over this period, it is estimated that around 300,000 sei whales were killed, leading to a drastic decline in their population.

The sei whale was officially listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act in June 1970, which later transitioned into the Endangered Species Act. This listing marked the beginning of legal protections for the species, although it wasn't until 1986 that the International Whaling Commission (IWC) implemented a moratorium on commercial whaling for all whale species, including sei whales.Despite these protections, the sei whale population has struggled to recover fully due to ongoing threats such as vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and environmental changes, including climate change and pollution

Stone harpoons and stone tools believed to have been used to capture and butcher whales have been excavated at the Tsugumenohana ruins in Tabira, Nagasaki Prefecture, dating back to around 6000 BC.

Whaling has been practiced since ancient times, and has continued into modern times.

And Japan has not made whales an endangered species.

Why should Japanese whaling be blamed when it was white people's whaling that caused it?

It goes without saying that pigs and dogs are much smarter than whales.

Do we stop killing them because they are smart? If so, pigs and dogs should come first, right?