# Hey, Japan! Whale Burgers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 23, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528 "2005-06-23T14:17:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/1 "2005-06-23T14:17:04Z")
[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8324667/](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8324667/) Are they any good? Better than beef? Signed, just curious (and a little sad). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/2 "2005-06-23T23:11:25Z")
I’m glad I searched on this. I was just going to put something about this in The Pit. I’ll watch my language, but how on earth can the Japanese say ‘research whaling program’ with a straight face? It is a crock for them to want to “cull” more whales for research and then have the meat end up in a sandwich. Not to mention, what exactly is researched when whales are slaughtered? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/3 "2005-06-24T05:22:59Z")
Not all whale species are currently endangered. And in Japan’s defence, it _is_ rather hypocritical for the US to criticize Japan - whales didn’t become endangered because Iceland, Norway and Japan hunted them for food. It was mostly the Americans and Europeans hunting them for oil (and throwing away the meat!). As for the taste, I don’t think it’s all that good. Similar to one of the cheaper cuts of beef, IMHO. But some people love it. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/4 "2005-06-24T05:46:18Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Not to mention, what exactly is researched when whales are slaughtered? The scientists get to research the tastiness of whale meat, and whether a dorsal ham is better braised or baked?\* \*I do not in any way support the killing and eating of endangered species. ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/5 "2005-06-24T06:58:12Z")
Taste it before you slam it. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/6 "2005-06-24T12:33:47Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Taste it before you slam it. Seriously. If you think that taste is what we are upset about, you are really missing the point. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/7 "2005-06-24T12:58:01Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > I’ll watch my language, but how on earth can the Japanese say ‘research whaling program’ with a straight face? It is a crock for them to want to “cull” more whales for research and then have the meat end up in a sandwich. > Not to mention, what exactly is researched when whales are slaughtered? To be devil’s advocate here, where the meat ends up has no bearing I can see on whether or not the whales are validly hunted for research. They _could_ conceivably be killed for a valid scientific reason, that leaves the meat intact for sale. Why throw it out? I have no clue what is being researched, but where the meat ends up seems somewhat unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/8 "2005-06-24T13:55:08Z")
The point is that they’re _ **not** _ being hunted for research; the research is just a flimsy excuse to hunt them for meat. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/9 "2005-06-24T13:56:19Z")
That should read “the _alleged_ research…” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/10 "2005-06-24T14:07:58Z")
If they were hunted purely for valid scientific reasons, would they have to throw the meat out? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/11 "2005-06-24T14:13:04Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > They _could_ conceivably be killed for a valid scientific reason, that leaves the meat intact for sale. Why throw it out? > > I have no clue what is being researched, but where the meat ends up seems somewhat unrelated. From the story > [@](#): > > Miku Oh, an official for Lucky Pierrot, said the chain is only utilizing stock meat obtained from the scientific research and **that it wants to preserve the culture of eating whale meat.** > [@](#): > > At an annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission, currently being held in Ulsan, South Korea, **anti-whaling countries passed a resolution Wednesday urging Japan to drop plans to more than double the number of whales it hunts each year for research.** > [@](#): > > Environmental groups and anti-whaling countries, including the United States and Britain, say Japan’s research whaling program is a thinly disguised commercial whaling venture, **stressing that meat from the whales is sold to Japanese supermarkets and restaurants to help fund the program.** I don’t know if everything that I quoted from the story is accurate, but lets assume it is. We have a commercial interest that wants to preserve the culture of whale eating. We have a ‘scientific’ interest that wants to double the amount of whales culled for research. Lastly, we have a commercial interest that is funding said scientific research. To me, this smells whaley (sorry). Where is this whale research even published? ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/12 "2005-06-24T14:15:32Z")
So, can you get some giant ribs there? Howzabout whale-brisket? Mmmm, brisket… _We’re gonna need a bigger grill!_ ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/13 "2005-06-24T14:15:48Z")
Its not about wasting meat… its about lousy excuses for hunting whales ! I agree that throwing away the meat would be a waste… but its not the issue. ---
**Author:** ![gaucho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@gaucho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaucho)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/14 "2005-06-24T14:38:18Z")
Are the whales endangered or not? If not, it really seems to me like we’re condemning them over a sentimental cultural prejudice. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/15 "2005-06-24T14:51:36Z")
Oh, I believe they’re really hunting whales for the meat. It’s just that the fact that they eat this meat isn’t evidence of that, since meat from whales hunting for purely valid scientific means would likely be eaten too. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/16 "2005-06-24T14:56:58Z")
> [@gaucho](#): > > Are the whales endangered or not? If not, it really seems to me like we’re condemning them over a sentimental cultural prejudice. Eight whale species are on the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s [Threatened and Endangered Animals and Plants list](http://www.fws.gov/endangered/wildlife.html), but the Minke whale isn’t one of them. [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minke_whale) says the Minke whale population is “order of 150,000 in the North Atlantic, 25,000 in the North Pacific, and 750,000 in the Southern Ocean.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/17 "2005-06-24T15:22:36Z")
I was at first pissed off about this issue when I first heard about it, and like many others jumped onto the “Research is a flimsy excuse for hunting” bandwagon. But what I really want to know is why havent the Japanese government released what kind of reserch is being done. If it really is legit well then, tell us why the research pool needs to be doubled, and as long as it doesnt break any regulations with any endarged species, and wont harm the species in the long run, go for it. But it does seem strange that with all the controversy the subject of what they are researching has not come up. Whaleing for cultural reasons is not only a problem in Japan. Many Native North American cultures are requesting to hunt whales again for cultural reasons. To that, and to the Japanese whale hunt, I say if it is for cultural reasons, then use the hunting method that was used in the culture you are trying to protect. Sorry folks no guns. But then again I think that hunting with guns would be more fair if the animals had guns too. If you want to call it a sport then make it more difficult. i have all the respect in the world for bow hunters. But thats a different thread all todether. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/18 "2005-06-24T15:41:48Z")
> [@Ludy](#): > > But what I really want to know is why havent the Japanese government released what kind of reserch is being done. Why do you think they haven’t released this information? A few minutes on Google found plenty of information, like those linked [here](http://www.oceanlaw.net/netpath/page5-sci.htm). > [@](#): > > I say if it is for cultural reasons, then use the hunting method that was used in the culture you are trying to protect. Sorry folks no guns. So how old does a particular practice have to be to be considered “cultural”? Guns have been around for hundreds of years, so I guess nothing (non-native) Americans do can be defended as “cultural”? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/19 "2005-06-24T16:37:00Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Why do you think they haven’t released this information? A few minutes on Google found plenty of information, like those linked [here](http://www.oceanlaw.net/netpath/page5-sci.htm). Reading the titles of some of the articles from that link [here](http://luna.pos.to/whale/icr_papers.html), I have to say that I see nothing that requires the actuall killing of whales. Minke whales may not be endangered, but how does killing them help with understanding things like “Overview of the minke whale sighting survey in IWC/IDCR and SOWER Antarctic cruises from 1978/79 to 2000/01”? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528/20 "2005-06-24T17:05:13Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Reading the titles of some of the articles from that link [here](http://luna.pos.to/whale/icr_papers.html), I have to say that I see nothing that requires the actuall killing of whales. Studying the behavioral pattern of animals usually involves finding out what they ate. It’s difficult to collect whale poop, except by killing one and examining its stomach contents. Also I understand it’s difficult to collect DNA samples without capturing a whale, and it’s difficult to capture one without killing it. But _of course_ “research whaling” is just a loophole, being exploited because it’s the only way to keep the whaling industry alive. That doesn’t mean there’s no useful science being done. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hey-japan-whale-burgers/309528.md?page=2)