Japan To Hold Whale Hunts Despite Activist Threats

TOKYO — Japan plans to go ahead with its whaling program in the Antarctic later this year despite threats from activists to disrupt the annual hunt.

Japan's hunts have become increasingly tense in recent years because of clashes with the conservationist group Sea Shepherd. The most recent hunt was cut short after several high-seas confrontations, and it was unclear if the hunt would be held at all this year.

But Japan's fisheries minister said Tuesday measures will be taken to ensure the safety of the whalers and the hunt will go ahead. It is expected to begin in December.

Commercial whaling has been banned since 1986, but Japan conducts whale hunts in the Antarctic and the northwestern Pacific under an exception that allows limited kills for research purposes.

Comments

[cagog]

06:41 PM on 10/05/2011

Shut-Up Japan, whales dont spawn like the fish (because whales are mammals) because they give live birth and fish's are in the hundreds.

[romika3]

05:16 PM on 10/05/2011

This thread is full of racist comments directed towards the good people of Japan. The same can be found on Youtube under SSCS videos. One technique employed by the SSCS is the demonizing of the target culture. They did it to the fisher-persons of Eastern Canada, the people of Japan and more recently the people of the Fareo Islands. How many respected conservation organizations do you know that employs these methods, the answer is none.

[Ken4057]

04:26 PM on 10/05/2011

So many absolutely disgusting, racist comments here about how the Japanese somehow deserved the tsunami and the thousands on thousands who died terrible in it. One of them called the Japanese 'worthless humans' -- well, if that describes any group then it certainly describes those commenters.

Are you actually ignorant enough to believe that an entire country supports whaling (which employs a few hundred people and feeds perhaps a few thousand more in a handful of areas)? And are you actually evil enough to think that their children deserved to die or be orphaned for it?

You're far, far worse than the whalers. And I'm a firm Sea Shepherd donor. If you're truly against whaling, put your money where your mouth is.

[judibluiz]

03:11 PM on 10/05/2011

The only thing that will stop Japan and Iceland is to close the "scientific" loophole and ban whaling for any reason. Bless Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherds.

[DevRock]

04:04 PM on 10/05/2011

Agreed. The continued practice of whaling is disgusting and inhumane. Not tomention completely unncessary. If I were a wealthy individual, they'd have a new, fast ship named after me to help fight the Japanese. I hope Bob Barker had a good investment year.....

[ddpalmerr]

09:44 AM on 10/06/2011

Iceland doesn't whale under the "scientific" loophole. Neither does Norway or Greenland or St. Vincent or the Alaskans or the Russians.

[addisonsteele]

01:12 PM on 10/05/2011

I am on the side of the episode of South Park during which Greenpeace actually torpedoed and sunk the Japanese whalers.

[djv1255]

10:18 AM on 10/05/2011

The Japanese could stop crazy Watson fairly easily. Add three ships smaller and faster than the Sea Shepard. “Arm” them with two or more water cannons.

They could just sit back and monitor the position of the Sea Shepard fleet. And occasionally ran up and hit the SS bridge with water. And when the SS is going to launch the helicopter, run up and use the water cannon to prevent the helicopter from taking off.

Of course, crazy Watson would talk the pilot into risking a takeoff while being hit by the water cannon.

[KPinSEA]

08:19 AM on 10/05/2011

"Sea Shepherd has named its anti-whaling mission Operation Divine Wind. 'Divine wind' is the English translation of the Japanese word 'kamikaze'."

Watson's offensiveness really knows no boundaries whatsoever.

[judibluiz]

03:09 PM on 10/05/2011

Paul Watson is an angel without wings.

[KPinSEA]

01:05 AM on 10/06/2011

Sure you didn't mean David Koresh? Acolyte-talk makes me nervous.

[romika3]

06:07 AM on 10/05/2011

There are numerous articles out there, including an admission by the Japanese that the reason why they are continuing whaling is that they don’w want to be told what to do by a group of terrorists. It is a manner of pride. Watson’s methods will, in the long run, prolong whaling in the Southern Ocean.But then, if you study the SSCS organization closely you will soon learn that it is all about Watson, media, and money making. I have stated many times over that this organization is not a conservation organization and that it has done more damage than good to the conservation movement!!!!

[singsingsing]

08:00 AM on 10/05/2011

romika3 - Who are you? (If I may borrow a line from The Who), what makes you think you know what is so with the Sea Sheperds? What science or moral purpose do you have privy to? If you study the SSCS closely... ? What does that mean? One can't confront ILLEGAL WHALING without money and guts. If one whale is saved by this group of wonderful conservation daredevil heros THAT is a victory for God's planet. I care not a fig for what YOU have stated.

[ddpalmerr]

10:18 AM on 10/05/2011

But the Sea Shepherds aren't confronting ILLEGAL WHALING. And any whale the 'save' in the Antarctic just means they will import more whale meat from Iceland or Norway, mean Iceland or Norway will just kill another whale to meet the demand. It is a wash same number of whales killed all that changes is where in the world the killing occurs.

[romika3]

05:09 PM on 10/05/2011

Watson is known for selecting issues based on their media and money making potential. In addition, the SSCS targets legal fisheries (IE the Canada Sea Hunt, the Fareo Island pilot whale harvest, legal tuna fishermen). They also claim to protect endangered marine species when in fact, with exception for a few, most of what they claim to protect and not even endangered. In the southern ocean only one of the harvest whales species is listed on endangered. What Watson prefers is blood in water and blood on ice as both make for great photos and video and brings in the money.

[Gabriele Vaitkeviciute]

05:38 AM on 10/05/2011

''We never give up and we never compromise.'' Peter from Sea Shepherds. I just hope this year they manage to stop Japan immediately.

[KPinSEA]

08:23 AM on 10/05/2011

I just cross my fingers every year that Watson doesn't get one of those idealistic kids killed.

[djv1255]

08:59 AM on 10/05/2011

Their Fishing Minister said they were going to protect the fleet this year. That means Watson will most likely talk those kids into riskier stupid stunts to try to get the whaling stopped.

[Gabriele Vaitkeviciute]

02:04 PM on 10/05/2011

Those ''kids'' take all of responsibility. Watson can't make them do anything they don't want to do.

[wolfml1]

01:57 AM on 10/05/2011

A Farce played on the world stage, the only research Japan does with the Whales they slaughter is whether it's better cooked in Sake or Soy Sauce.

[ddpalmerr]

10:20 AM on 10/05/2011

But that is still research isn't it?

Of course your statement is wrong, they have produced hundreds of published papers and even the anti-whaling IWC thanks them for the useful data they provide every year.

[wolfml1]

06:03 PM on 10/05/2011

How many whales do they have to butcher, intelligent, docile and beautiful animals, that are not a threat to anyone except their food, to create the Papers they produce and How many do they kill for Food? I'll bet they can butcher far fewer Whales and get the same Data. How many scientists spend way more time studying animals while they're alive in their own habitats, rather than kill them and cut them open? How much more or less would we have learned by cutting open live Human Beings to study them? Killing anything to study it, you learn much more from it alive than you do from murdering it?

[beatlesfan5545]

12:48 AM on 10/05/2011

Research my butt. They are processing the meat for consumption in Japan. I don't buy ANYTHING from or made in Japan. I look at labels before I make any purchase. I don't buy from China as their animal rights are also horrific. If we would ALL boycott Japaneese and Chineese products...maybe it would put pressure on them to stop. I love the Sea Shepards and totally approve their tactics. I only wish I were able to go with them this year but, because of my age and health it would be impossible. Please donate to them if you are able...Thanks.

[Gabriele Vaitkeviciute]

05:35 AM on 10/05/2011

You deserve to get 1000000 badges for this comment but I only can give 3. Sorry for that :)

[ddpalmerr]

06:13 AM on 10/05/2011

So do you boycott Australian products? You know the slaughter millions of kangaroos every year as pests? Or how about those European countries that sell horse meat as a delicacy? Or is it only Asian countries that you have a problem with.

[RahSolar]

11:52 PM on 10/04/2011

ddpalmerr
82 Fans

Where did you go?
No more whaling rhetoric?
No more chit-chat?
What else you got?
I'm going to bed now. It's late on the east coast.
I'll beat you down some more tomorrow.
Love, RAH

[ddpalmerr]

06:15 AM on 10/05/2011

Wait you can go to bed but I have to stay up all night just to make you happy?

When you get up you may want to look up what beat down means because you have yet to raise an actual true counterpoint.

[RahSolar]

05:04 PM on 10/05/2011

Your replies have made my counterpoints for me.
I really don't need to do that much.
Nice try though.
Besides, by the time I went to bed it was mid-morning for you.
Who do you think you're kidding?

[bleedingheartlibertarian]

11:48 PM on 10/04/2011

Does the japanese government own the whaling ships?

[ddpalmerr]

10:21 AM on 10/05/2011

No, they are owned by a private company and the ICR leases them.

[bleedingheartlibertarian]

09:33 PM on 10/05/2011

thanks, any article available leaves one to believe it's a national company.

[jokerdano]

10:50 PM on 10/04/2011

What's the big deal when the whales are gone they can hunt seals. It will never end until the Human race is gone. That's the sad part the Human race has to die off for thing to get better. you would think in this day and age man could fix his problems. The U.S. can't even fix it's check book. The japanese want to make sure they get their's and then some.

[Maureen Mo Hallett]

10:14 PM on 10/04/2011

Oh common people....the tsunami was in natures punishment of japan? then Katrina was natures punishment of the US I suppose and in that vein any flood hurricaine of any act of nature could be looked at that way!! What of the droughts in Africa where poor starving people who do nothing to hurt nature still have to endure its rath? Nature is nature and it does not punish on purpose mankind.But we do certainly damage the earth and all its wonders..all of the nations of the world do horrible things to the earth!! And The USA and canada are no different so dont blame Japan alone!!