t_co
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Japan whaling ships leave for Antarctic hunt
Over 70% of Japanese don't like whaling. My question is why does the GoJ still do this? It's internationally and domestically unpopular, unprofitable, costs political capital...
Then again, governments around the world commit to stupid policies for no reason, so maybe we should not be surprised.
Just an FYI - even though Japan caught only 1/8th of its self-declared whaling 'quota' last year, it still had trouble selling off all the meat. The government would up having to subsidize the retail process... and it looks like it will do again this year.Tokyo (AFP) - Two Japanese whaling ships and a surveillance vessel left Saturday for the annual hunt in the Antarctic Sea, Kyodo News said.
The three ships departed from the western port of Shimonoseki to join other ships to hunt up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 50 fin whales through March, the news agency said.
The Fisheries Agency had kept secret the departure date of the whaling fleet as a precaution against obstruction by militant anti-whaling groups such as Sea Shepherd, Kyodo said.
Japan's whale hunts have long drawn criticism from activists and foreign governments, but Tokyo defends the practice saying eating whale is part of Japanese culinary tradition.
Japan says whales are studied as part of a bid by its whaling research institute to prove their populations can sustain commercial whaling.
Activists charge Tokyo's "research whaling" is cover for commercial whaling that is banned under an international agreement.
Japanese whalers and Sea Shepherd activists have routinely clashed violently in exchanges that have seen stink bombs thrown at Japanese crew and water jets trained on protesters.
Japan's whaling catch fell to a record low of 103 Antarctic minke whales in the last season due mainly to the anti-whaling group.
Over 70% of Japanese don't like whaling. My question is why does the GoJ still do this? It's internationally and domestically unpopular, unprofitable, costs political capital...
Then again, governments around the world commit to stupid policies for no reason, so maybe we should not be surprised.