[Press Release] Demand for whale meat is now so low in Japan, it is used for pet food
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- Created on Wednesday, 18 May 2022 23:02
May 17th 2022
Press Release
Demand for whale meat is now so low in Japan, it is used for pet food
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is casting a shadow over our lives as it follows the economic stagnation caused by the Corona pandemic that has continued over the past three years. In the midst of this situation, the government has approved the draft budget for 2022, which includes a variety of issues. It is very unfortunate that the budget of approximately 5.1 billion yen related to whaling is included in this year's budget.
Four years ago, on December 28, 2018, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced that Japan would withdraw from the International Whaling Commission and begin commercial whaling. Then, in July of the following year, one large mothership whaling company and four small coastal whaling companies began commercial whaling.
However, despite the desperate efforts of each of these companies, demand for whale meat has not returned, and stocks keep piling up. It has become clear that the whaling industry can no longer stand on its own without government support, while the government has stated that it plans to end its support for the whaling industry
The Japanese governmenta is writing a new law that can ensure the continuance of commercial whaling
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- Created on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 20:36
During the Diet session open until December 9th, the Japanese government is aiming to rewrite the 2017 research whaling law into a new law that can ensure the continuance of commercial whaling.
Japan has reopened commercial whaling upon withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission, the only international body managing cetaceans and whaling. Rejoining the organization as an observer is not enough to meet the requirement set by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It is also problematic that the government is announcing to the whalers the catch limit based on the calculation still not fully in accordance with the RMP determined by the IWC.
On the resumption of commercial whaling
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- Created on Saturday, 06 July 2019 09:50
An open letter to:
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Takamori Yoshikawa
Fisheries Agency Director-General Shigeto Hase
On the resumption of commercial whaling
June 28, 2019
Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network
The Japanese government announced last December that it would withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, an operating body of the International Convention of Regulation of Whaling, and instead resume commercial whaling from July this year in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
We, Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network, object to Japan’s exit from the commission, it is our belief that international agreements are essential when addressing issues concerning migratory species such as cetaceans. Furthermore, based on the past experience, large mammals with low fertility rate, such as whales, are not suited for commercial use. In anticipating the return of commercial whaling, we would like you to address some our concerns and clarify uncertain issues.
Answers from the Fisheries Agency regarding the open letter from us.
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- Created on Monday, 09 September 2019 08:49
We Oppose Japan’s Withdrawal from the IWC
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- Created on Sunday, 30 December 2018 08:16
December 28th, 2018
Iruka & Kujira (Dolphin & Whale) Action Network
On December 26th 2018, the government of Japan officially announced that it will withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), an organizational body for executing the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). The government stated it will cease research whaling in high seas and resume commercial whaling in coastal waters and in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from July 2019.
The government of Japan insists that the reason for the withdrawal is the dysfunction of the IWC and the mass media is reporting this viewpoint. However, Japan has other reasons to discontinue research whaling and these factors all attribute back to the government itself: cost measures for refurbishing the deteriorating whaling factory ships, declining demand for whale meat, and Japan’s violation of the Washington Treaty.
