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Despite the deep sorrow of people with conscience throughout the world, the Japanese Government permitted the Institute of Cetacean Research to practice "research" whaling and so killed Bryde's and Sperm whales as well as minke whales. Moreover the government showed a dominating attitude towards international voices.
Again, a whaling fleet is now about to launch toward the Antarctic Ocean. The government announced that they will capture around 400 minke whales this time as well. In the past 12 years, some 5,000 minke whales were killed in the Antarctic Ocean, even though it is considered to be public property, by Japanese ignoring international agreements.
In addition, the meat after the "research" is sold in the market at a high price and
According to a February 7 report from Kyodo News, 5 organizations, including the Japan Whaling Association and the Institute of Cetacean Research, have presented a request for adjustments in the system of importing Norwegian whale meat. The Dolphin and Whale Network is firmly against this system for the following 2 reasons:
Read more: Protest Against the Plan to Accelerate Import of Contaminated Whale Blubber
Every year when the IWC meeting comes to a close, the news articles that are presented about whaling appear frequently in Japan. Media reports are mainly from the government controlled industry of information, so in this season we'll have to deal with those one-sided or highly biased reports. Generally the controversy on whaling is accepted as a conflict of interests between Japan and Western countries. Those who support whaling argue that the conflict is between Japanese who try to maintain what they claim to be their cultural traditions, and Westerners who not only lack understanding of other cultures but also impose their cultural values on others. On the other hand, there are arguments that Japan is an "environmental predator" or behaving like a "gang of thugs"
Read more: A Contribution to The Japan Observer Vol 7/7 July 2001
Dolphin and Whale Action Network is a citizens group dedicated to working for the conservation of dolphins and whales from in Japan. We recognize the serious impact of Japanese whaling and dolphin hunts, and also the human-induced climate changes and marine water pollution on whale species.
We feel there is a need for the immediate and sustainable whale conservation plans, and present the following to IWC.
IKAN is a dolphin and whale conservation group working mainly within Japan. As an island country, Japan has been nourished by the wealth of the surrounding waters for hundreds of years. The ocean, although sometimes referred to as the 'food factory' by the fishing industry, is not only providing us food, but also maintaining our moderate climate and the rich biomes.
However, to the generation that was disparately devoted to the nation's economical reconstruction after World War II, the natural resources, including marine organisms, only meant more exploitation for human proliferation. As a result,
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