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© 2012 AFPWhaling ship to be refitted for another decade's service
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© 2012 AFP
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arrestpaul
That's good to hear. Watson will then be much easier for police to find, detain and then extradited him to Costa Rica.
ihope2eatwhales
It is impossible, because of "moratorium". It means the commercial whaling is not permitted. So only way to do research is by non-commercial arrangement, through the government.
This is why you should accept the "moratorium" be finished, unless you secretly like to pay tax for the whaling.
There is no needless "moratorium" for such business. It is anti-whalers that make it different. We wish for commercial whaling.
Charles M Burns
Yes, yes, more research is needed. Of course we never hear what they are researching, or the results of the research, but let's eat a few more whales and ponder the situation.
cleo
But you do want us to pay taxes for 'scientific research'? If the reason for the 'research' is to provide data to back up commercial whaling, surely that 'research' should be carried out by the private-sector interests that want to engage in commercial whaling. Anybody else wants to set up a business, they have to do their own market research. Why should the taxpayer have to subsidise a loss-making private-sector enterprise?
ihope2eatwhales
marcelito,
I can not imagine another reason why you would care if there is commercial whaling and people who eat meat pay for it themselves.
So you should accept commercial whaling. We do not have to pay tax for commercial whaling. Only current scientific whaling, which Japan must do because anti-whalers made "moratorium", claiming there is no scientific information.
Let it be commercial whaling instead of government supported whaling, and we will see.
So you agree to end "moratorium" now?
If you do not intend to meddle in the business of others, you must. If you secretly enjoy supporting scientific whaling, you will not.
AriesKJJ
10 more years at 30 million $ a year to prove some foolish point to anti-whalers ?! Best check in with the people who still don't have perminant housing to see if having whale meat is more important to them.
ihope2eatwhales
marcelito,
But what? If it is commercial whaling, it does not require tax money, it means it is no longer your business.
I don't understand why you demand that what I eat is your business.
So it seems you enjoy meddling with others for your pleasure?
A surplus goes in the trash, it is not kept frozen in the warehouses.
Iowan
Chant: Ten more years, yeah! Ten more years, yeah!
Thomas Anderson
You are not making any sense.
Yeah, like saying "People should be able to eat whatever they want, and if we can't then we're going to cry over it".
ihope2eatwhales
Thomas Anderson,
Anti-whalers should know, it is they who said there was too little scientific research when they demanded for commercial whaling moratorium. It is why Japan started research whaling in exchange for accepting moratorium.
It is time to end the moratorium. It was the time many many years ago. Oddly, anti-whalers say it is whale eaters who are emotional. It seems anti-whalers have very big emotional attachment to "moratorium". Like big babies really.
Thomas Anderson
I thought it was for "scientific research"
ihope2eatwhales
marcelito,
As I said before, if anti-whalers would allow commercial whaling, then whale meat would be paid for by people who buy it.
The truth is anti-whalers wish to deny the food, and make excuses to hide it. They themselves must understand their behavior is shameful.
ihope2eatwhales
It's your imagination.
ihope2eatwhales
Thomas Anderson、
It is not rational, sensible, to try to deny people what food they may eat.
Just let Japanese catch the whales sustainably forever, as is desired.
gogogo,
Ask foreign AFP news agency why they did not say when?
We who know about it need not have us told by anti-whaling foreign news agency.
chooch
Citation needed.
kazetsukai
Ever wandered where the processed but unconsumed whale meat is being stored?
USA has major silos of corn stored for national emergencies.
As good as our sciences and technologies may be, whale by-products are still used in low-tech to high-tech products because man still cannot duplicate them.
OssanAmerica
" Having said that, let's just turn off the tuna tap for Japan and see ihow far pride goes.:
Good idea. Australia is thebiggest exporter of Southern Bluefin to Japan.
funkymofo
Japangal,
Are you planning to donate enough to cover the shortfall created by the annual 1.2 billion yen or so of direct taxpayer funded subsidies, plus the 'aid' money paid to recruit neutral countries into the IWC to vote for Japan, plus the cost of refurbishment of the ship, which most certainly will run into the tens of millions of dollars? These funds would be most welcome in the rebuilding of the Tohoku area, I'm sure. If so, thanks! If not, quit whinging about the price, every taxpayer in Japan is forced to subsidise your 'right' to murder cetaceans on the other side of the world. Oh, and if you think it's the Sea Shepherd that's forcing up the prices, there are about 2000tonnes of unsold and unwanted whale meat in frozen storage in Japan. Maybe you should have a word to your local retailer about the laws of supply and demand. You're right about one thing though, whaling is getting quite expensive, whether you plan on eating the meat or not.
AriesKJJ
30 million a year for another 10 years ?!? Someone tell the polititions they made their point a fortune ago, the world won't see them as being week kneed but of sound mind. Hopefully the general public and specifically the youth of Japan will make a stand and demand the end of invading the southern ocean sanctuary, (although it hasn't been much of a sanctuary yet) and one day the end of killing cetaceans altogether.
AriesKJJ
Sea Shepherd is reporting that the whaling fleet is still being prepared to travel to the southern ocean sanctuary and that they are readying for a campain despite the government reports. Hopefully they are wrong or the government changes it's mind: it's sad to see Japan continue to alienate itself from the rest of the world.
nath
By putting the numbers on the take lower, the price goes up. I still buy it, but now have less money to donate to other people like in Tohoko. SS should be banned from international waters.
gogogo
Japan is doing this just to prove a point? There are always surplus unsold whale meat every year and the only reason Japan continues is to save face and not look like they were wrong?
When is the research done? Japan used to claim they were checking the stomach contents, now they claim the research is to determine if killing enough whales reduces the population.
Disillusioned
My response to this statement would quickly be deleted by the moderators. This report is quite different to the international one. The report I read yesterday stated they didn't have the money to refit it. I guess the are not selling enough of their 'research' meat to cover it. Take this ship out to sea and let the Chinese use it for target practice! Meanwhile, there are still 100,000 people living in temporary housing in north-east Japan.
Scrote
I wonder if they will send a coastguard ship this year. It seems they are fully occupied chasing Chinese ships around the Senkakus. Sending the "coastguard" to Antarctica may allow the Chinese to occupy the Senkakus, which would serve them right.
Thomas Anderson
The Japanese were never good at making a rational, sensible decision. This is purely an emotional issue for the nation.
"We want to continue whaling because, well, I dunno? We just do."
Thomas Anderson
Why you care so much about the government using tax payers money for whaling is beyond me.
ihope2eatwhales
Japanese government has failed again. A completely new research mothership is needed.
However, as fugitive Paul Watson is on the run, I hope this year research can be completed successfully.
MasterBape
Apart from whaling, there are so many deeper issues here.
Where's the money coming from for starters? Increased tax?
The news that the ship is being refitted isn't the real news here; it's an indirect way to say "Japan give up on whaling. We will continue to waste money for another decade while the economy slows down and your(residents) taxes rise. National pride is at stake and we need to butcher whales to put the meat in school lunches. Whaling is our culture...blah, blah".
If one reason thinks about it, is whaling profitable in times of economic hardship? Put all pride aside and the answer is no.
National pride and the "ganbaro" attitude rule all.
Makes you wonder how Japan became such an econimc power...oh, then the bubble burst.
Thomas Anderson
Indeed, people who are obstinate and stubborn are deep-down, really weak. It's because they can't choose any other action.
plasticmonkey
Japan is weak-kneed. Politicians and their constituents who continue to blindly support a program that costs billions and benefits few are truly weak-kneed.
Ronald F Stark
I don't see the word "research" in this sentence, just "hunt"? The only thing that makes Japan look weak-kneed is their lack of concern for the environment and opinions of a large majority of planet Earth. I wonder exactly how much TAX money they are going to waste refitting this rusting piece of junk; it wasn't mentioned in the article?
USB
And the money needed for this 'major overhaul' is coming from where? Certainly not profits from the sale of whale meat. Most likely from our soon to be raised taxes!