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Whale restaurants cheer hunt resumption

31 Comments
By Karyn NISHIMURA

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31 Comments

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From an environmental point, whaling is insane. How much energy does it take to build the ships, to run them, ship the refrigerated meat, how much pollution does it all produce ... for what return?

It's an industry based on such fallacies that, apart from the meat, only Japanese could swallow.

Eating whale is not "traditionally Japanese". By definition, it was a tradition practised only by a few villages whereas in others, the whales were revered as gods.

The whaling is not "traditional Japanese whaling". It is Western, American (from 1700s) and Norwegian-style whaling (from 1800s).

From a welfare point of view, you cannot compare whale killing with the killing of domesticated mammals because there's no way to minimize the suffering of the animal. And they do, for hours.

It's like a gang of hillbillies hunting down cattle in a pack of 4x4s, killing them with hooks and grenade lauchers, and then dragging their still breathing wounded corpses around for hours until they did.

Threatened species aside, it's an animal welfare issue and it can't be done ethically.

The sentimentalism that the old men feel for their post-war diet is equally weak.

The Americans were only feeding the Japanese on whale meat because they were killing them for their valuable whale oil. It was a cheap byproduct they would have otherwise discarded as there was no market for it in the USA, and it was not even necessary from the "protein" argument. Japan did not need "more protein" after the war, you can get proteign from plant based sources, it needed carbohydrates as its agricultural system had been destroyed.

They Americans gave Japan their old whaling ships and were using the oil in everything from automatic transmissions, to deep sea and space exploration. The "protein" argument is just a dumb ass American thing because they themselves were so brainwashed by their meat and milk industries as to the need of an excess of it.

I'm guessing most Americans, and most Japanese, aren't even aware of their nation's part in real history of the modern whaling industy.

Allow the two or three villages that did to go back to practising token, traditional native Japanese whaling, and the world would probably give Japan a free pass. Continue on western style whaling, and the world will cry BS.

Economically?

Would not exist without government welfare handouts. The entire whale hunting industry is living off government welfare. They are a cabal of welfare scroungers appealing to far right wing, nationalistical sentiments in order to survive.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

The whales are free of charge catches.

The minimum is to remove the subsidies.

Then I am sure the whales populations will be fine (except if whaling is to fill pet food can maybe...?).

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

"...He acknowledged activists' concerns over the cruelty of the whale hunt and said "the fishermen are conscious of the fact that the time the animal suffers should be reduced."

I would think "eliminated" rather than "reduced" would have been a good idea. I am a carnivore who enjoys eating flesh but I prefer that the slaughter be carried out humanely. Current methods of catching whales are barbaric to say the least. I also prefer my meat without heavy metal pollution.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Everyone I talk to in Japan does not want or like whale. Horse, yes. Whale, no.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Good for them. No one has any right to judge what other nations choose to eat.

well ok maybe the Chinese and Koreans should fish all the tuna they can find just outside Japans EEZ, when theyve sucked the ocean dry of tuna well see if the Japanese think they shouldnt judge them on what they eat. Chinese love Japanese coral they shouldnt really judge the Chinese when they take it from the oceans now should they.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

 blood gushed out of the meat like a sponge,

Ive tasted it cooked once , below average taste, like chewing rubber. Raw!? now that would be totally disgusting

2 ( +6 / -4 )

This is a really big boost to the economy through tourists visiting restaurants, employment for whalers and so on.

take away the governement subsidies and see how far whaling gets then.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Japans tradition, Japans culture, Japans right. Japanese can choose to eat any food they wish to eat.

This is a really big boost to the economy through tourists visiting restaurants, employment for whalers and so on.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Good for them.

No one has any right to judge what other nations choose to eat.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken. It's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this," he told AFP.

total BS not backed up with actually scientific facts, majority beef and poultry has more protein and less cholesterol. and all have much lower levels of heaby metals as this guy conveniently forgets. Fact remains there are far more readily available meats and poultry fish available that are cheaper and healthier for you, add to that the lack of food labeling on what species of whale and where it was caught. if you want to eat whale go ahead but dont make up BS statements on how superior it is to other meats/fish. We had enough of that already with Japans Research Whaling farce

11 ( +16 / -5 )

That is a horrifying photo. Please leave the whales, all whales, alone! Japanese cuisine is very diverse and has much to offer. But. Not. Whales.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

"It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken. It's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this,"

This must be the "science" part.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Since the whaleboats have now lost their government subsidy, resumption of 'commercial' whaling means that they have to first create a consumers' market in order for them to cover their costs and make a profit.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

THe world is watching you, Japan. But it's not like that bothered You in the first place

2 ( +11 / -9 )

Too bad this 'veteran chef' is not only a jingoistic fool, but an idiot when it comes to nutrition as well. Per the USDA, 100 grams of whale meat is 321 kcal with 122 mg of cholesterol.

Yes, does this bloke expect us to believe that an animal that lives in freezing cold oceans and is famous for blubber has lean flesh? It's almost like an intelligence test.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

Blatantly thumbing their noses at those who take offense down to the choice of photos. Evil laugh accompanies the reading of the comment section as well. Yeah we’re now going to eat the animals you all care so much about. Oh don’t forget the little whales in Taiji. That’s the gloating message they’re sending with this.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

"It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken. It's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this," 

Too bad this 'veteran chef' is not only a jingoistic fool, but an idiot when it comes to nutrition as well. Per the USDA, 100 grams of whale meat is 321 kcal with 122 mg of cholesterol.

Meanwhile, 100 grams of chuck steak is 277 kcal, a rib eye is 291 kcal/90mg of cholesterol, and most beef cuts are about the same. In fact, in flipping through the list, only the cheapest grind of ground beef (70% lean) is in the whale range at 332 kcal.

The only two areas where whale 'beats' beef are in protein per 100 g, and in fat per 100 g.

At this point, everything this man says can be dismissed as ignorance.

7 ( +21 / -14 )

Japan has been smuggling whale meat from Iceland and syphoning so-called 'research' meat into the market

The word is importing, not smuggling. And the IWC's own regulations require the 'research' meat be processed and allows its sale.

Enjoy your whale meat while you can coz I have no doubt they will be extinct in 3-5 years.

I doubt you are right. Japan has hunted the whales at a higher rate for the last 30 years without them going extinct, so with a lower hunting rate it doesn't make sense that it would cause extinction.

2 ( +15 / -13 )

Even if some people get into it now, it will take 30 years. And if they find the work too hard, they will stop. Whale needs to be well cooked otherwise no one will start to eat it again,"

So, he admits people are not into eating it now, and there's no-one to prepare it as it 'should' be prepared: so why bother?? Why the uphill battle to do something that is totally irrelevant in modern Japan, and invites Japan-bashing on a mighty scale?

"A country that does not preserve its food culture has no future."

A country that clings blindly to a past that was never all that great in the first place, has no future.

Also see above: he's already admitted that whale is no longer a part of Japanese food culture.

2 ( +16 / -14 )

It's OK, many Japanese people are sill in the 19th century. Please don't tell them. I'm sure these resturants have defibrillator apparatus. Not like they are getting a pension and if they crave blubber, have at it. After someone might zap them back to life ,hey presto it's 2019.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

Lots of criticism about Japan for resuming whaling. Remember why Perry came to Japan to open it up? The reason was that US whalers needed a place to resupply. That was the main motivation for Perry. Americans loved whale too.

Are you seriously trying to justify Japan's actions in the 21 century by America's actions in the 19th century?

14 ( +29 / -15 )

Lots of criticism about Japan for resuming whaling. Remember why Perry came to Japan to open it up? The reason was that US whalers needed a place to resupply. That was the main motivation for Perry. Americans loved whale too.

-4 ( +14 / -18 )

What an arrogant and ignorant plick! People abroad are fully aware of the nutritional contents of whale meat. This is such a typically Japan Vs the West statement and really gets under my skin!

Agreed.

8 ( +22 / -14 )

I'll cheer when the subsidies are cut, completely.

14 ( +20 / -6 )

It's great that whale is full of mercury because that will help eliminate the market for it.

7 ( +20 / -13 )

whale needs to be wll cooked

...offers whale sashimi

14 ( +14 / -0 )

"It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken. It's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this," he told AFP.

What an arrogant and ignorant plick! People abroad are fully aware of the nutritional contents of whale meat. This is such a typically Japan Vs the West statement and really gets under my skin!

I don't know why these arrogant twats are cheering! Japan has been smuggling whale meat from Iceland and syphoning so-called 'research' meat into the market since the IWC moratorium in the 80's. This shop has always been in operation and has always had whale meat in stock. Just because japan has resumed commercial whaling does not mean there will suddenly be a huge desire for everybody to run out and scoff down a huge plate of it every day. Japan has stated they will only hunt 'migratory' whales as they pass through its economic zone. It will be interesting to see if these limited stocks are managed and conserved or if they will be a casualty of wanton slaughter leaving Japan with no whales in their economic zone and looking to expand their hunting area to international waters. Good luck with that japan! Enjoy your whale meat while you can coz I have no doubt they will be extinct in 3-5 years.

5 ( +21 / -16 )

It's packed with iron.

In liquid form

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Whale roast beef ?? somebody is messing with english here

16 ( +21 / -5 )

I don’t really have knowledge on the market. However, from what I’ve seen and from people I’ve spoken to, is the market for whale really that large or lucrative?

7 ( +10 / -3 )

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