Japanese whalers bring home 1st commercial catch in 31 years
Source: Associated Press
Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Updated 7:41 pm CDT, Monday, July 1, 2019
TOKYO (AP) Japanese whalers returned to port Monday with their first catch after resuming commercial whaling for the first time in 31 years, achieving the long-cherished goal of traditionalists that is seen as largely a lost cause amid slowing demand for the meat and changing views on conservation.
A fleet of five boats left the northern Japanese port of Kushiro earlier Monday and brought back two minke whales. A crane lifted them and slowly placed them on the back of a truck to be taken to a portside factory for processing. Workers in blue plastic overalls poured sake from paper cups onto the first whale to express thanks and celebrate the first catch.
It was the first commercial hunt since 1988, when Japan switched to what it called research whaling after commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission. Japan gave six months' notice that it was withdrawing from the IWC, a move that took effect Sunday.
. . .
"We hope commercial whaling will be on track as soon as possible, contribute to local prosperity and carry on Japan's rich whale culture to the next generation," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura Secretarytold reporters in Tokyo.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Japan-resumes-commercial-whaling-seen-as-14062826.php
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)catchnrelease
(1,942 posts)on the first bite of whale meat he eats.
dustyscamp
(2,221 posts)Do these idiots foresee a run on whale oil lamps?
MFM008
(19,782 posts)After they kill the last whale?
The last blue fin tina?
Do they think the supply is endless?
Princetonian
(1,501 posts)Westerners tend to romanticize Japanese culture but this is the ugly reality of their government. I boycott all products made in Japan for this reason.
wiley
(2,921 posts)The reality of their government is grotesque for sure.
Roy Rolling
(6,856 posts)Wow, now that Japan has whale oil it cancelled the extra coal shipments from Trumps friends.
Coventina
(26,874 posts)If they think this is an important aspect of it.
wiley
(2,921 posts)Including Abe and his wife. They are vile.