World court rules Japan's Antarctic whaling not scientific

Despite the ruling, this a great chance for Japan to reposition itself and refocus on what it really wants to do. It had backed itself into a corner with the whole "culture" argument, meaning there was no way to back away from whaling without the government appearing to not support Japanese culture, which was never going to happen. This is a great chance for Japan to move their whaling aspirations to become more inline with traditional whaling... using traditional methods in local waters. This way, they turn a loss into a win for everyone.

Yeah...but we will still do it.

A victory for common sense. Well played, Australia and NZ! Quite a few pro-whaling posters here have a lot of egg on their faces right now! It is highly doubtful that the Japanese Government will pay any attention to the finding, however.

What traditional methods are we talking about 100, 300 or 600yrs ago. 100yrs ago they tradition was powered ships and explosive tipped harpoons. Many if the countries that have native hunting also uses modern equipment.

Always love people saying X is not a tradition but Y which exists for a shorter period is. Scratches Head.

I'm surprised that Japan has lost however the verdict said that:

that Japan shall revoke any extant authorization, permit or licence granted in relation to JARPAII, and refrain from granting any further permits in pursuance of that programme

'in pursuance of that programme' clearly opens the door for JARPA III which potentially will lead to a lower take of Minke but a substantially higher take of both Humpback and Fin whales.

They basically ordered a temporary suspension till a restructuring has been achieved.

Not quiet what the anti-whalers had in mind.

Nobody's going to starve as a result of this... To those that say its a loss of hundreds of years of cultural heritage etc. that may be true if the whaling took place in Japanese waters, but it is doubtful that the Japanese have been whaling in Antarctica for hundreds of years. Legally recognizing scientific whaling as being a thinly veneered excuse for commercial exploitation that benefits an extremely small group of people is a step in the right direction. But no doubt other loop holes are on the horizon that will have to be closed. But it is a good result.

I'm also surprised Japan lost. Did Japan fail to provide the same number of brown envelopes and call girls for the court as they did to get their votes on the IWC? Of course the program had nothing to do with science, a 3-year-old could see that. Now Japan will get upset about an attack on Japanese "culture", same as always.

All that remains now is to inform and educate the mass population where their hard earned tax dollars have been spent proping up an unviable industry that no-one wants, and only benefits a few corrupt individuals.

Thanks captain obvious for confirming what the rest of world already knew...

This is a welcome ruling.

Japan has been complaining for years about how the west has been " imposing it's culture and values " on Japan in regards to whaling.

The simple fact is that, by grabbing whales in a beautiful and pristine wilderness using a huge Victorian-era style fleet, Japan has been imposing ITS culture and values on the Antarctic.

Grabbing huge and beautiful mammals on the other side of the globe does not look good for Japan on the world stage.

It's the same as if the Ozzies demanded to grab polar bears from the Arctic for their " barbecue culture... Unthinkable!

As for me, I'm a Brit and we have our fish and chips culture (no laughs please)... And I strongly oppose a huge British fleet plundering the Antarctic to grab cod or other fish to satisfy that culture.

The truth is that whale meat is a tinny tiny niche market in Japan. Whale meat for most japanese people, especially young people, is strange food, it's weird food... Nobody is thinking " oh I'll cook up some whale for tonight's dinner "

Whale meat is enjoyed almost exclusively by nationalistic or nostalgic oyajis in izakayas.

So Japan should listen to this ruling and draw down from the Antarctic. There are more than enough whales in the seas around Japan to satisfy this tiny niche market... And that's according to japanese government data...

Well hopefully the SS terrorists and their eco terrier Watson are shutting up once and for all!

Japan needs to wake up to the overwhelmingly strong arguments - environmental, ethical and economic - against prolonging the killing of whales.

YES! FINALLY! Any "scientific" research has been shown to be possible by simply sampling the water behind the whale for, well, y'know, whale excreta. All this to provide hapless mammals for jailing in "entertainment" Sea Worlds, and employing a handful of heartless, morals-free examples of the worst of self-serving humanity. Go Sea Shepherd! Go Australia! Go N-Zeid! And, No-Go Japan whalers. Leave the whales alone and Let Them Go In Peace.

It's kind of amazing that anyone would be surprised by a victory of common sense (in many ways) over corrupt vested interests in the name of cultural heritage. But I'm amazed!

Shake it up, baby!

Great news gotta love it!!

So the Sea Sheppard peeps won't have anything to do...? Loonies without a cause can be very dangerous.

id love to go on about how happy i am the ruling has gone against Japan. Japan will just say your attacking our culture and do it anyways. going to donate more cash to SS so theyre prepared when the whalers decide to go down there again regardless. Itll be interesting if they keep the whaling going as it will just give SS a more legitimate claim of being there. LOL

It's a great result for commonsense. Hopefully now the Japanese government also has the commonsense to realise that whaling in the Southern Ocean is a lost cause. The vast majority of Japanese wouldn't know what whale tastes like anyway and the growing stockpile of unsellable (mercury rich) whale meat is testament to that. Japan should now accept the umpire's decision, swallow its nationalistic pride and abandon the program. I won't be holding my breath though.

This probably heralds the end of "scientific whaling" on the part of Japan, then, especially since Japan will probably soon be seeking ICJ support for its positions on other, far more vital matters (concerning territorial claims and EEZ violations by other encroaching countries, for example.)

In other words, Japan will give up on whales since it has much bigger fish to fry!

This verdict is understandable. However I Do wonder for those Japanese who are whale hunters . If this verdict is forever. How will they survive? Will the Japanese government support them in a sense of reeducating or re training them? I have eaten whale fish when I was very little in school something that no longer exist in school. A tradition will be eliminated. Regardless how we feel about whales.

Thank you Captain Obvious (The World Court) for pointing out what everyone already knew. Japan has to say it's scientific, because when it tells everyone its tradition, most other countries in the world says 'Get with the times'.

Currently in the world, there are 3 countries that still do whaling - Japan, Norway and Iceland. I assume as well that many inuit and aboriginal communities in the northern hemisphere do as well. Norway has been listed as catching waaaaaay more than Japan but you never hear about Norway because they are fishing in their waters as far as I know. Japan only gets crapped on because they are hunting in the antarctic off Aussie.

"The ICJ's ruling is final and there will be no appeal" lets see how Japan can do a Houdini on this one

For the people that down voted me.

The court ordered Japan to halt any issuing of whaling permits until the program has been revamped.

Not that hard to understand and not the harsh rebuilding and downright ban on whaling that many wanted.

A sad day for common sense.

I hope Japan starts commercial whaling now.

BN, just checking, but I think you know that whales are mammals, not fish, but I appreciate your sentiment, if not the mixed metaphors. Anyway, today, let's rejoice for the whales.

@probie I hope Japan starts commercial whaling now. that would just be a FU to the ICJ. ill be giving SS more cash so if/when that happens they wont be doing it easily. LOL

It will be interesting to see how Japan responds to this ruling. Yesterday's article about there being no market for whale meat and it being a money pit bides well with this ruling. So, what is the Japanese fisheries Dept. gonna do now? Will they drop out if the IWC and continue to waste public funds flogging this dead horse or will they revamp it's 'research' program with a reduced catch quota and consider non-lethal research? Either way they will just waste more money on a lost cause. However, I know how much money they have invested in this and they have scheduled a major refurbishment of the factory ship Nisshin Maru. Sadly, I fear they wi just ignore this ruling and continue hunting whales and wasting public funds.

"In its defense, Japan cited only two peer-reviewed scientific papers relating to its program from 2005 to the present..."

This speaks volumes about it being "science".

Well, the court ruled not just a temporary stop, but a permanent hunting stop stop in the arctic region. Further the Japanese government has to withdraw the issued licenses. This article missed quiet a lot.

@Disillusioned

It is interesting to speculate whether they will keep on doing it or not. I'd like to be optimistic that they won't. As one poster already suggested Japan is going to need the World Court to help arbitrate its territorial disputes so they know it will behoove them to stick to any of their current rulings. But I don't know you may be right, but I hope not.

It was the only likely outcome of the court case.

Japan's claim to the 'scientific whaling' line was as much an affront to everyone's intellect, as a fast food company claiming to care for your health.

Today, current affairs programs in Australia were talking about the possibility of Japan continuing to hunt whales under a 'commercial whaling' banner, but Japan stands to lose a lot of international credibility if they take that course of action.

Thank you Sea Shepherd (!)

Interesting to watch the Japanese whaling industry get put in its place by the judge at The Hague. Japan might just be relieved as this is a way for them to end this corrupt waste of tax money without having to be seen as giving up or giving in.

Would Japan really continue whaling as a commercial business and run it at a huge loss? Are they really so stupid and stubborn?

@ Probie

I hope Japan starts commercial whaling now

I wouldn't worry. There's enough frozen whale to last you and the nationalists here for years.

.

I believe its the correct and right decision . Kindest regards to all our friends in Japan from Australia.

A tradition will be eliminated

The high threat of mercury poisoning will be eliminated. And just because something is a tradition doesn't necessarily give it a universal stamp of approval.

Quite a few pro-whaling posters here have a lot of egg on their faces right now!

I don't think there were that many pro-whaling posters. I think there were a lot of anti-Sea Shepherd posters. I've got a feeling the Japanese government wanted this verdict and that's why they agreed to abide by it. They've managed to stop paying out for whaling while taking no blame themselves. It wouldn't totally surprise me if Abe used this decision to instil some more nationalistic fervor among the people.

thats the problem when you stick to a story "scientific research" if they change it now to "commercial whaling" that would be a big FU toeveryone involved. Japan should have pulled out of the IWC and started comercial whaling years ago, but they stuck with there story and now its backfired on them.

Japan does not have to stop whaling. A temporary halt to the Antarctic program has been ruled by the ICJ. I am one of the many who thinks it is acceptable for Japan to take whales in waters nearer home, as it does in its annual North Pacific hunt and its many coastal whaling programs. It was the annual trek to Antarctica, which was mainly tax-funded and carried out under the blatant lie of research that I thought was wrong, especially as it was upsetting to countries like Australia. All the Japanese proved through the Antarctic hunt was that whaling in that part of the world was not economically viable. This is good news for whales, but also for tax-payers.

I'm amazed that some people are using the expression 'common sense' in an article about Japan's whaling. That line of reasoning hasn't been listened to for years.

Not such a clear decision, unfortunately.

The court ordered Japan to halt any issuing of whaling permits until the program has been revamped.

I suppose then Japan will be revamping the program.

Reading a 12-4 decision by the court’s 16-judge panel

Presumably those 4 judges sided with Japan.

Quite a few pro-whaling posters here have a lot of egg on their faces right now! It is highly doubtful that the Japanese Government will pay any attention to the finding, however.

If Japan quits the IWC, this will be a pyrrhic victory.

Anyway, as an anti-whaler who is pro whaling rights, I'm glad to see a legal ruling. This will give Japan cover to drop the program, if it wants to, while saving face. I'm confident the government will have no trouble finding some other dumb thing to waste my taxes on.

It's quite funny that we had one Japanese poster stating a tradition would be lost cos she used to eat whale in school and that the 200 people involved in the whaling would lose their jobs. I used to get a small bottle of milk every day at school and that 'tradition' died out. I survived! And, the only reason you were given whale meat was because Japan was broke and there was no other source of protein, which is not the case today. And as for the handful of whale hunters being out of a job: How about the half a million displaced residents of Tohoku that still have no jobs or income? The five million dollars the j-gov took out of the rebuilding fund to support the whalers would have gone a very long way in Tohoku.

It is not culture! It is not tradition! It is a huge waste of public money!

So happy!!!!!!

good i dont eat whales anyways.

You gotta love justice. Welcome to the modern international community and it's culture Japan.

The Japanese government did take funds designated for Tohoku to help fund the whalers. So today's ruling is beneficial on many fronts. The Government has said it will abide by the ruling so this could be a very positive development all round. Of course now the government may just take the money earmarked for Tohoku and put it into urban development projects for the Olympics.

ok boyz, get out the oars and spears, whale away ! Hope Moby Dick gets pissed and shows you some traditional payback ! There is a scientific whale meat resturant in Fukuoka just waiting to serve you some traditional mercury sashimi !

The court ordered Japan to halt any issuing of whaling permits until the program has been revamped.

I do not know how to interprit this ruling. Does this mean Japan should start JARPA3?

This is something I did not expect and both sides can claim victory.

It is pretty crazy in the first place, 'scientific' would be enough excuse to condone this practice. The irony of the whaling is that there's the defense force calling it Japanese culture but hurt their own country locals financially and diplomatically in the process more than anyone else.

I'd be interested in what the pro whaling side thinks of this decision. Suddenly, they're very quiet.

I'll be asking all of my Japanese friends and students about this over the coming days and I'll bet vital parts of my anatomy that they don't know a damn thing about!

First temporary thereafter make it permanent. Next on the line, the massacre of dolphins.

DisillusionedMar. 31, 2014 - 09:09PM JST

I'll be asking all of my Japanese friends and students about this over the coming days and I'll bet vital parts of my anatomy that they don't know a damn thing about!

All the major Japanese news papers, Yomiuri, Asahi, Mainichi, and Sankei have already reported the ruling. You will lose your vital organ.

wow havent hear a peep from "arrest paul" & "I hope to eat whales". probably out buying some whale meat in defiance

Hey CH, just because it is in the newspaper and on the TV doesn't mean people will be paying attention to it. 99% of the population don't give a fat wombat's ball bag about it! They are too busy planning their hanami parties.

Its amazing the lie about scientific research lasted so long.

Even a temporary halt is good news. Now they just need to cease their northern hunts and for Norway and Iceland to just stop!

Finally. Stating the obvious though!

Given the high cost of whaling--not to mention fewer and fewer people in Japan are eating whale meat anyway--I wouldn't be surprised that the whale hunt in Antarctic waters that happened recently may be the very last done by Japanese whalers. Those whaling ships will soon be retired and sold for scrap.

Japan should claim Antarctic as their territory as they to in the Southern China sea and an Korean island in East sea.

The court ruling stated what has been obvious to anyone who is not a complete idiot. It is commercial whaling that draws no profit from sale but only government handouts. There is an overflowing stockpile of whale meat. Few people actually want to eat it. And they should not eat it because it is full of dioxins. So will Japan now end this brutal farce?

Yes! I guess the nationalists will have to accept this decision with "good grace", as they always preach. If they try to wriggle out of this then they're hypocrites.

Most Japanese are against whaling because they don't know much about the whaling methods. And they think that if foreigners criticize, then must be because of "racism".

There has never been any doubt to the reasonable observer that the Japanese Whaling Program is anything but commercial whaling in disguise. Any 'science' that has come out of the program been rejected again and again by the international science community, and the fact that whale meat been so easy to find on menus in Japan belies the real reason for the hunt.

21-4 isn't even close - it's a resounding verdict for common sense and calling bullish*t where you see it.

I am very, very happy about this, and I am proud that Australia had the stones to go the distance on it.

Wake up Japan.

The amount of demand for whale meat in Japan did not necessarily justify the scope of JARPA II, really. Also, I don't really want Japanese people eating whale meat due to its toxicity.

That said, certainly those 200 people will be able to be re-educated for Japan's JARPA III, which will most likely begin shortly.

When it does start, it will probably have quotas far lower that the 1000 Minke set by JARPA II. So it is a victory for anti-whalers, but the Antarctic is far too lucrative a region for Japan to give up. It needs a presence there for when the exploitation of resources begins.

Oh well.

Anyway, can we now rule on shark finning? A far more brutal practice that effects the world far more than whaling?

@Patricia Yarrow

Some whale excreta (especially from sperm whales) worth quite a lot of money as they will be used for making perfume.

Japan will not follow the international ruling. Japan will continue to act in their own way.

Ha ha ha haaaa, little bit of international perspective, ha ha ha science! Science? Billions spent on a industry that is a loss. Billions diverted into criminal pockets, and the international community says NO! Who would have thought!

Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Noriyuki Shikata told reporters that the country “regrets and is deeply disappointed” by the decision.

But “as a state that respects the rule of law ... and as a responsible member of the global community, Japan will abide by the ruling of the court,” he said.

Pure class, unlike the anti Japan crowd.

Pure class, unlike the anti Japan crowd.

The court has just decided that the "scientific research" was bogus. Where's the class in that? It exploited a loophole.

At least with this ruling if Japan wants to continue it's whaling it has to recognize that this is a tradition they want to hold on to and accept whatever criticism may come. Norway and Iceland hunt whale and don't hide behind political loopholes, which I can dislike but respect.

I would say that the Japanese government is relatively happy that they can appease the rest of the world by abiding by the decision, and appease whaling advocates with a "they made us stop it" argument.

At least with this ruling if Japan wants to continue it's whaling it has to recognize that this is a tradition they want to hold on to and accept whatever criticism may come. Norway and Iceland hunt whale and don't hide behind political loopholes, which I can dislike but respect.

Funny how the anti Japan crowd doesn't seem to give Japan any leeway when it comes to tradition, when culling dolphins and all. Now Norway and Iceland, and others that hunt and kill sea mammals get a pass? Ridiculous.

Odman

Now Norway and Iceland, and others that hunt and kill sea mammals get a pass?

Who says hey do?

WOW! What a great day for the Green earth lovers! Truth prevails, at last.

Sad that Japanese won't see any Whale meat in their Sushi plate from now on. And keep researching WHY WHY??

Hope this will mitigate the risk of countries being at War due to Global Warming.

Save Earth.

hmm so if i understand this correctly - if Japan had caught the needed amount the scientific justification would be met- because the ships are interfered with so much they cannot make the catch - so they cannot- thus the catch is no longer scientific.

no mention here on the right or wrong of whaling- this was purely if Japan met the needs of science- and because of the interference was unable to do so.

this is the real issue- so is this justification for sea shephard? not really - the court skirted the sea shepard and environmental stuff completly

"Japan had argued that Australia’s suit was an attempt to force its cultural norms on Japan."

Cultural norms about science?

Anyway, an excellent result. And Japan has already, and admirably if they follow through with it instead of continuing to whale in the Southern Ocean, said they are an honorable nation that follows the law. So if they don't, then they are not. So, let's put that whaling money from the Tohoku relief funds into Tohoku, and not whaling. Then take the rest of the money we lose on whaling towards milking these old codgers of the government teat. Even then they still have a lot of whale meat in the freezers for some years to come.

@oldman_13

Funny how the anti Japan crowd doesn't seem to give Japan any leeway when it comes to tradition

Funny how the Japan apologists validate springing to Japan's defence just in the name of tradition.

@prat

this is the real issue- so is this justification for sea shephard? not really - the court skirted the sea shepard and environmental stuff completly

What has Sea Shepherd got to do with the ruling for cris'sakes. No excuses, Japan has been found guilty of bu%hiting to the world and it's own people. If I were Japan I would be furious that my government had been lying about the use of taxes. There should be an independent inquiry into government actions.

First : don't mix up SSCS with SS !!! Second : SSCS are NOT terrorist, always acting under the LAW. The antarctic sanctuary does NOT belong to the Japanese Whalers. Japanese Whalers just have to hunt around Japan if they absolutely want to poison their families with meat of which everybody knows it is full of mercury ... AND ... they also don't have to LIE to the rest of the world by saying this is only for the RESEARCH ... BECAUSE THE WORLD KNOWS THE TRUTH .... YES, would Taiji stop hunting and slaughtering dolphins as well for the sale to seaquariums, this would be the best way ever for Japanese Whalers and their supporters to not hear from Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ANYMORE ...

Japan cans still pursuit commercial Whaling option in Southern Ocean in next a few years. Australia does not have judiciary in Southern Ocean and the court does not recognize it. Japan can still argue returning of sustainable whale hunting depending on Whale population. I believe Whale population is growing and the world will force to hunt Whales again in near future because it threatening to some of fish, shrimp, krill and other seafood stocks. I'll wait and see what Japanese Government will do next. Japan will better off buying Whale meat from Scandinavia countries instead of hunting itself.

I agree with the ruling. Lack of scientific evidence is obvious...they should stop hunting the whales.

Japan is one of the most advanced coutries in the world, it has a pristine reputation across the globe... people are polite and the culture is idolized by many...... its hard to believe that Tokyo grant commecial whaling huntin licenses... I expect more from a country as highly regarded as Japan.

Still, the response from the minister saying that they will abide by the ruling IS pure class. If this was China, they'd continue to whale hunt ..probably double the number of ships doing it

Oh well. So much control with whales. But my family has a small 112 ton cargo ship. We kill some pilot whales from year to year with benzodiazepines and a small harpoons. And store the meat for 6 months. Its great and its only for family consumption.

oldman: "Funny how the anti Japan crowd doesn't seem to give Japan any leeway when it comes to tradition"

Actually, what's funny is that you defend Japanese whaling under the guise of science while demanding that it is actually for tradition, and then forget about the fact that diesel ships hunting whales in the Southern Ocean is not Japanese tradition at all, save for the obvious lies, of course.

overchan: "But my family has a small 112 ton cargo ship. We kill some pilot whales from year to year with benzodiazepines and a small harpoons. And store the meat for 6 months. Its great and its only for family consumption."

Well, hopefully from now on you are forbidden to do so, since you can admit it is obviously not for science.

MeanRingo: Bang on. My guess it just the envelopes to land-locked nations that have never hear or whales will be slightly less padded, but will include an equally valuable "Moushiwake Gozaimasen" apology.

What a Victory for the Whales!!! This is a significant decision to finally stop Japan from driving these enigmatic animals into extinction.

Thank you Sea Shepherd (!)

It had nothing to do with the SS. What's worth mentioning is that Japan have said they will abide by the court's decision. The SS had previously said if the verdict had gone Japan's way they would have continued with their acts.

It's also worth mentioning the word 'that'. When the presiding judge gave the verdict he emphasised the word 'that' in 'Japan's whaling programme in the Antarctic] and refrain from granting any further permits in pursuance of that programme'.

Now that could be because he'd been speaking for an hour and a half, or it could be that he's not a native English speaker or it could be that the door is open, legally, for Japan to start JAPRA III. Which, based on the reasoning given, could lead to Japan taking more Humpback and Fin whales.

It remains laughable that Japan considers the waters off Australia traditional hunting areas. Try the whales that would be traditionally next to Japan... oh wait. They're gone

Rightwingers will have to find something else to do. Take up a hobby or something

as a state that respects the rule of law ... and as a responsible member of the global community, Japan will abide by the ruling of the court

Shikata, what has Japan been doing for all these year except breaking the law? If it was for Australia finally getting fed up with the act and Japan's dangerous tactics against SS, Japan would be still breaking the law. The ruling basically says that Japan justification is a lie. But, we all knew that already.

I can never understand why a government would allow its citizens be poisoned by these endeavors other other like the killing of dolphins. But then smoking is legal in most counties too. So who is paying of the gov to support these murderous entities?

If Japan really stops these activities, maybe they will get more support in other more important items that require international support. But I doubt it.

Come on ka_chan its over. You just remember that ss were the attackers

Anyway, as an anti-whaler who is pro whaling rights, I'm glad to see a legal ruling. This will give Japan cover to drop the program, if it wants to, while saving face.

Since the Japanese seemed to do a very half-hearted job at the ICJ (citing only 2 peer-reviewed scientific papers, etc..), I think that was their plan all along...

-20! That's more like it! The hate is very strong on JT.

We all know what all this is about. Double face Sea Shepherd. Why all these years after Japan when other countries are commercial Whaling in more volumes.

If you read Yahoo.co.jp news comments on the issue most are complaining that Australia should be banned from killing kangaroos (ah, hello they aare doing it in their own country to prevent environmental damage caused by over-population)

Many others are going to stop eating Aussie beef in protest. Okaaaay...

What has the ruling got to do with Sea Shepherd? Australia sued Japan because it was breaking international law by whaling in the Antarctic under false pretences."

Based on the ruling, apparently SS was defending the law again the law breakers.

The problem is that so many people become so absurdly emotional on the subject and lose all logical coherence.

And this whale hunting IS for research purposes: Japan wants to discover the perfect whale sandwich ... (as Jimmy Carr once said).

Well, hopefully from now on you are forbidden to do so, since you can admit it is obviously not for science.

Well, you wouldn't normally imagine a general house hold would be able to obtain such budget that enables a family to travel all the way to Antarctica just to harpoon whales for the minimal family consumption. While it's good their illegality was proven right, I think their right for hunting should be respected as long as it's legally done within their fishing grounds whether it's for sientific purposes or not.

Could I ask a silly question?

Why is there a market for Whale meat in Japan if the whaling is just for scientific purposes? Surely if they are making scientific discoveries then the whale's bodies should be stored?

Oh I get it. There is no scientific study on whales in Japan.

I watched a factory ship, (yes factory ship) hauling three whales on board and then get to work butchering the animals for their meat! This proves that they are commercial whaling and nothing to do with science!

What scientific discoveries have you made in this area Japan? Oh yes, absolutely NONE!

Ah yes...The typical Sea Shepherd propaganda. ...

You know that the entire carcass needs to be used don't you..and that eating part of the whale meat that has been sampled and tested for other reasons (including proving the impact of global warming on whale blubber) is perfectly legal under IWC regulations

Now the international court found the Japanese whaling program to be unscientific, mostly due to the sample size, but the fact that whale meat is consumed is not illegal under any law or any courts decision.