Japan says whaling fleet will set sail on Tuesday

whaling fleet will set sail on Tuesday

And Sea Shepard will too

time for another donating, bring on the pain SS LOL

Have you eaten whale lately?

whale the other other red meat. so delicious.

Why??? There seems to be no reasonable explanation for this. People don't want the meat, it is seen a crime against nature by other countries and a good chunk of the Japanese population as well and it is so expensive, tax money is used to cover expenses.

whale the other other red meat. so delicious. and scientifically proven to have high levels of mercury, if you want to put that tripe in your body you go ahead, I certainly hope you dont feed it to your children, can cause ADHD and other health conditions later in life.

I really wish the government would stop subsidizing this ridiculousness. I don't care one way or another if people want to eat whales. If they want to eat it they should pay the full cost themselves!

“As we seek to resume commercial whaling, it is crucial to get information as to whales’ migration, reproductive rates and the age pyramid of the population for setting catch quotas,” the fisheries official said. Lethal whaling is necessary “to get this kind of essential information,” he said.

You gotta kill 'em to know where they migrate and their reproductive rates? You might wanna explain that bit of science carefully so it makes sense. It sounds farcical so far. Though I think the proponents of whaling won't see the absurdity.

So, let's see. Australia is supposed to decide on a supplier of its submarines in 2016. The competing bidders are from Japan, France and Germany.

I would think that Sea Shepherd will pursue a campaign to maximise the negative sentiment in Australia against Japan's whaling and seek to influence the pending decision by the Australian government to award the submarine contract, with the goal to make awarding this contract to Japan so politically toxic as to make it impossible.

It should be an interesting 4~5 months in the southern oceans.

Are the Japanese so hungry that they have to go against the conservation efforts of the World? They are a particularly stubborn people when it comes to reasonable expectations. Why don't you just leave the whales alone? I know it takes a lot to penetrate the Japanese psyche, but most people respect these magnificent mammals, and they don't like your hunting and killing them.

Love delicious nutritious Whale meat! Happy they sticking to their guns on this one!

There is a healthy population of Minke whales for viable commercial whaling, scientific research has proven so. If it's not in anyone's territorial waters and in the international open sea with set limits and quotas, I don't see what the fuss is all about! Damn haolis!

"takes a lot to penetrate the Japanese psyche"

I don't think it's about that. People are just unaware or apathetic. Like everywhere. This is an unprofitable industry that's probably protected by an entrenched political interest. They're beautiful animals. Meat-eating in general is probably unethical for many reasons. I'm not sure I see the the distinction between whales and other animals that are intelligent and emotional and killed for food - besides the fact that they're wild and probably mostly go to waste. I do have an emotional reaction to it that I'm not sure should be rationally separated from the human torture of other animals. A Confusing moral issue to be sure. Looking forward to intelligent comments on this moral dimension :).

Thank god, we might all starve without the meat or not be able to light our homes without it.

I am glad we don't have anything better to use this money on, like rebuilding Tohoku ;)

@takeda.shingen.1991@gmail.com,

Good post.

Just a suggestion, you might want to use a user name that does not share your e-mail address. Your real name as a user name is one thing (and to be respected), but masking your real e-mail address (assuming that is your e-mail address) is probably a wise move.

“As we seek to resume commercial whaling, it is crucial to get information as to whales’ migration, reproductive rates and the age pyramid of the population for setting catch quotas,” the fisheries official said.

This clearly shows the absurdity of Japan's position. Commercial whale hunting was banned in 1983 and Japan agreed to it. Now, they are using the lethal research 'loop-hole' to investigate the viability of commercial whaling. There were over one-hundred countries that agreed to ban whaling in 1983 and as a result, populations of many whale species have increased to around 50% of what they were two hundred years ago. If Japan is so committed to returning to commercial whaling they should be made to pay compensation to every other country that gave up hunting them to create this resource which Japan wants to plunder for personal profit. Wouldn't this make them pirates? Japan does not have sole rights to profiting from these whales. Yes, minke whales are not endangered and their numbers have recovered to an estimated 60% if what they were two hundred years ago, but that is because many countries stopped hunting them. If Japan is made to pay compensation to all the other countries that stopped whaling to create this resource their hunt would easily be proven unviable. It will be interesting to see how the Australian and New Zealand government's react to this. You can be sure it is not going to slide.

Japan does not have sole rights to profiting from these whales.

I'm sure Japan is happy to share them, after all, they are a member of the IWC. If they just wanted to selfishly hunt them rogue they could quit the IWC and catch them as they like.

Yes, minke whales are not endangered and their numbers have recovered to an estimated 60% if what they were two hundred years ago, but that is because many countries stopped hunting them.

I do believe that minkes were never hunted much in the first place, because they are small (less oil) and faster (harder to catch) than other species.

As a precautionary measure, a moratorium might have made some sense way back in the 1980's, given the way other large species had been overhunted.

But I can't see a justification for the moratorium to still be in place for minkes today, 30 years later. That's not a "moratorium", it's a permanent ban, and it's no wonder Japan is frustrated by it. Japan never bound itself to the moratorium for minke whales in the first place, so I think they should just hunt them commercially. Catch 2,000 - 3,000 a year. Should be fine. Review again in 5 years. Rinse and repeat.

Japan is greedy and arrogant to grab large wild mammals on the opposite side of the planet.

Love delicious nutritious Whale meat! oh dear another ill informed sheeple, whale meat is high in fat low in protein, also having abnormally high levels of mercury. with so many safer, healthier, cheaper meats available why would you even want to put that tripe in your body. but when it comes to prideful recalcitrants stupidity know no bounds.

I think the Japanese Whaling boats will only observe.... but if they actually catch any, then their boats deserve to be sunk.

...and i kick off a 2 day suspension of buying any japanese product -- to the best of my ability, sans utilities/other stuck-with expenditures -- and, no. I did not pre stock. Now, if a good number joined along, a small signal might be sent.

So Japan now defies the highest court in the world. Australia and any country willing to assist her can now legally and without any hesitation defend her own waters and the Southern Whale Sanctuary with her navy. These illegal whaling ships need to be stopped, the crew arrested and all taken into Australian custody. End of whaling, period.

Erm...Andre the court found that the previous whaling program was unscientific. They did not find that hunting whales in the southern ocean was illegal.

Let's try and keep to the facts and not spout SS propaganda.

Sea Shepard! Go and get them!!! Disrupt them as much as you can!! Do everything you can!

Wonder how much the SS will have to pay the Japanese when they break the law again. What did they settle last time $2.55 minion? I'm sure repeat offences will lead to larger penalties.

Well, since Japan announced it would resume whaling, we knew the ships would be sailing, it was just a question of when.

Obviously with the ships sailing, one can expect Sea Shepherd to engage once again. Keep in mind that Australia is supposed to decide on a supplier of its submarines in 2016. The competing bidders are from Japan, France and Germany.

So, with the date of the ships sailing now announced, I would think that, among other things, Sea Shepherd will pursue a campaign to maximise the negative sentiment in Australia against Japan's whaling and seek to influence the pending decision by the Australian government to award the submarine contract, with the goal to make awarding this contract to Japan so politically toxic as to make it impossible.

It should be an interesting 4~5 months in the southern oceans. One wonders if the whaling fleet will be accompanied by a Japanese Coast Guard vessel, something that has been contemplated by the Japanese government in the past. One also wonders if Japan will once again try to use the U.S. legal system to shut down Sea Shepherd's activities to thwart the whaling fleet.

Why not catch the Minkies in your regional area ? Why travel all the way to Antarctica for them ? Are the waters up there too polluted ?

@wtfjapan: http://luna.pos.to/whale/jwa_v8_suzu.html Nutritionally speaking Minke Whales caught in unpolluted Antarctic waters is better for you than most other animal protein types. Please look at the research provide by National Institute of Resources of the Science and Technology Agency. Nice try but informed Japanese and foreigners that love whale will continue to eat this delicacy and hopefully more of it will come from the pristine oceans of the Antarctic in a ecological and sustainable way backed by Scientific research on allowable quotas, etc.

It really has to be a "I do and eat what I want!" sort of mentality. I tried whale once and it was awful. I don't see what value eating whale has to offer considering it looks, tastes and feels terrible to eat. There are apparently health issues tied to eating it excessively as well.

Keep in mind that Australia is supposed to decide on a supplier of its submarines in 2016. The competing bidders are from Japan, France and Germany.

Wouldn't that be something if Japan gained a little extra whaling (paid for by public debt)-- at the loss of this contract (a major economic opportunity missed). What would people think then?

It's hard to respect a countries government that defies an international order from the UN to stop this whale hunt.

But, it's not the first time the government of Japan say one thing rhen does the opposite...

These people have no honor!

But, if they want to follow with tradition, then get in boats with sails! No modern technologies!

These people say they are following tradition. So, they have always hunted whales in the "name of research"? Also, did they always sail thousands of miles to the Antarctic to hunt these whales?

When will the Japanese government wake up and smell what they are shoveling?!?!?!

@Heda_Madness,

What would Australian's think if their government risked the safety of their nation by choosing an inferior submarine just because of the whaling issue?

The assumption there being that the French and German submarines are inferior. However, on the assumption they are not and this is a close competition on the merits of the competing technologies, other factors, such as politics, can and usually do come into play. And this is where anti-whaling advocates have the ability to apply pressure to the Australian government.

Moderator: We have already ruled that the submarine deal is absolutely not relevant to the whaling issue.

What did they settle last time $2.55 minion? I'm sure repeat offences will lead to larger penalties. SS is now based inAustralia so it would be very unlikely they get anymore fines. $2.5million is petty change compared to the 2.5billion yen Japan wastes on whaling each year. SS will be around for a long time yet, you can count on it. there are plenty of wealthy individuals that donate to them each year. Even one of there boats was gifted to them. Funny thing is the more the Japanese whale the more free publicity/ attention SS get. Next season on "Whale Wars" should be great to watch. LOL

They were based out of Australia last time when they were found to be in contempt of an American court and were ordered to pay damages. I'm sure if they come close enough to the Japanese the same thing will happen again and again until the court decides to put them in jail for it.

I'm sure if they come close enough to the Japanese the same thing will happen again and again until the court decides to put them in jail for it. they will be harassing the whalers again again until they stop going to Antartica, what are there American courts going to do, go down there and arrest them! LOL they have no legal jurisdiction in those water, just as the whaler have none. if they had they would have arrested them already. The only way theyll stop SS is by using leathal force, and we know Japan has no stomach for that. bring on the pain SS LOL

The American Courts can do anything they feel appropriate. Seize their assets. Their money. Issue arrest warrants etc.

Pretty sure there was the same argument a couple of years ago. And since then the SS has paid 2.55 million to the Japanese for their contempt of court.

If the SS breach again they'll be liable for further penalties.

The only way theyll stop SS is by using leathal force, and we know Japan has no stomach for that. bring on the pain SS LOL

Absolutely

@nihonryu and your going to take the word of a study that was done in 1993 by a Japanese government funded institution LOL . Whales are only in Antartica for about 5 months of the year, the other 6-7 months there up in northern oceans feeding!

theres a newer proper independant study done, and published in the 2003 June 15 edition of the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. It indicate that packaged whale meat in Japan contains dangerously high levels of mercury. Tetsuya Endo and his colleagues at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido traveled around Japan between 2000 and 2002 and purchased fresh and frozen whale and dolphin meat from vendors and processors. They analyzed the total mercury content in samples of red meat, or muscle, which is the most popular whale product sold for human consumption in Japan. The researchers found that mercury levels in all 137 meat samples exceeded the guidelines of 0.4 part per million set by the Japanese government. In fact, samples of false killer whale and striped dolphin surpassed the regulations by 200 and 160 times, respectively. In total, the team identified nine different whale species and six types of dolphins and porpoises being sold as food, and determined that average mercury levels in meat from Northern cities were higher than those in samples bought in southern markets.

The authors suggest that guidelines, much like those instituted in the Faroe Islands in Denmark regarding consumption of pilot whales or the Food and Drug Administration's warning to pregnant women to avoid longer-living large fish because of potential mercury exposure, should be implemented in Japan. The metal has been linked to neurological defects and may damage a fetus's developing nervous system. "These particular meat samples were from packaged food products that someone would have eaten, if they had not been purchased for pollutant analysis," notes Frank Cipriano of San Francisco State University. "This is a clear signal that Japan has a major health problem that the government has not addressed."

So the next time your at the supermarket going to buy that whale bacon, stop and think, am I going to trust a J government funded study on whale meat nutrition study, or a study on mercury/heavy metals study done by scientists from Health Sciences University of Hokkaido?

EVERY ONE OF THE 137 MEAT SAMPLES EXCEEDED GUIDLINES OF 0.4 PPM SET BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, SOME HAD OVER 200 TIMES! THE LEGAL LIMIT. DOESNT SEEM SO HEALTHY NOW DOES IT. BON APPETIT!

Once again the Japanese whaling industry exercising its divine right to kill whales against the opinion of 95% of the rest of the world. Time for a contribution to Greenpeace. Better still, what we need is a modern- day Captain Nemo, surfacing by the whalers, ordering the crew into the lifeboats, and sinking the whaling ships!