Japan grapples with whale harvesting

Japan claims the right to kill whales for scientific research

By Gary Strieker
CNN Environment Correspondent

TOKYO, Japan -- The International Whaling Commission meets in London this week to consider once again a proposal by Japan to end a 1986 global moratorium on the harvesting of whales.

In spite of anti-whaling protests and even threats of trade sanctions, Japan still claims the right to kill whales, hundreds of them every year, under an exception to the international whaling treaty allowing whales to be hunted for scientific research.

According to Japanese authorities, there is no sound scientific reason to continue the 15-year-old international moratorium on commercial whaling, and limited hunting of some species of whales would have no impact on their populations.

Japan claims it's a simple matter of principle: Just like all other resources in the ocean, whales should be exploited in a sensible, sustainable way as a source of food.

But Japan's whaling policy causes many to wonder why this major economic power seems ready to face global condemnation in defense of this principle.

Japan and Norway are the only industrialized nations that continue to hunt whales.

Japan's whaling industry is very small, just a few ships and a few hundred jobs. And whale meat is not all that popular in Japan. But some critics say Japan's position on whaling is like all other official economic policy here, a product of close collaboration with Japanese industry.

Public opinion shifting in Japan?

Conservationists argue this is the same reason why the Japanese government still tries to get exceptions under global trade bans on some endangered wildlife products, such as ivory from elephants and tortoiseshell from hawksbill turtles.

"The Japanese government doesn't represent the voice of general citizens. It mainly focuses on the voice from industry," said Masayuki Sakamoto of the Japan Wildlife Conservation Society.

But the government may have to change its policy on whaling and other wildlife trade issues because Japanese public opinion is slowly changing, according to conservationists.

"If you see in one year or two you may not see much change. If you see five years, 10 years, you can see some changes," said Naoko Funahashi of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Analysts point out there are good reasons why Japan, a small island nation with few natural resources of its own, should demand the right to hunt whales, however small the industry.

"We feel a threat to sustainable use of other industries or other fisheries if we lose in this playing field," said Masashi Nishimura of the Japan Fisheries Association.

If they lose the fight to hunt whales, the argument goes, the next battle would be for rapidly depleting ocean fisheries, where the future of Japan's huge industrial fishing fleets is at stake.