# The Way to Stop Whaling is Changing Japanese Minds **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 14, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056 "2009-09-14T17:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/1 "2009-09-14T17:46:06Z")
Assuming a goal of stopping the harvesting of whales by Japan, what’s the best way to go about it? The strategy of getting Japan to agree to an international ban basically doesn’t work. The loophole for scientific research is a sham abused with impunity. The strategy employed by Whale Wars - arguably illegal harassment of whaling vessels - doesn’t seem to work, and might even hurt the anti-whaling cause in the courtroom of public opinion. What \*would \*work? In my mind, the anti-fur war has been won. What worked there? The market was destroyed by changing public perception. Was it Hollywood? Was it the hot models saying they’d rather be naked than wear fur? Was it fake blood thrown on women wearing fur coats? Is that the right way to go in stopping whaling? Would a publicity campaign in Japan make people stop buying whale products? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/2 "2009-09-14T18:04:22Z")
Baby seals are much cuter than whales. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/3 "2009-09-14T21:14:33Z")
The real answer to solving the whaling “issue” is to acknowledge that limited whaling doesn’t pose a significant environmental threat. If those on both sides of this issue actually attempted to deal with each other honestly, it would do wonders. That said, the best way to achieve the OP’s goal would be to concentrate on food safety issues. If you could convince the Japanese people that heavy metal contamination was a serious threat, demand would plummet. That would reduce Japanese whaling, but probably not eliminate it entirely, as the Japanese position is tied to national pride as well as economic reasons. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/4 "2009-09-14T21:19:59Z")
Since the entire thing is based off gross general ignorance, there’s no reason. That is, hunting Minke whales to death (as the Japanese generally do) is not going to matter. Those things are like breeding rats. It’d take something akin to the Apocalypse toget rid of them. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/5 "2009-09-15T00:04:34Z")
So, anyone up for harvesting a few Japanese? Strictly for research purposes, of course. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/6 "2009-09-15T00:08:10Z")
> [@bup](#): > > **The Way to Stop Whaling is Changing Japanese Minds**? Can’t be done. [Japanese don’t have souls.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Friends_Forever) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/7 "2009-09-15T00:18:28Z")
Whales are food. Why _should_ we stop whaling? I have more reason to want to stop Chinese people from eating dogs, and even there I’m happy to admit that I grew up in a different culture and to them its just food. There might be a discussion going on right now amongst some college kids in India about how they can get Americans to stop killing cows. Do I really care? ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/8 "2009-09-15T00:43:43Z")
Cows and dogs aren’t considered endangered. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/9 "2009-09-15T00:44:44Z")
> [@StaudtCJ](#): > > Cows and dogs aren’t considered endangered. Nor, as I’ve pointed out, are Japanese people. C’mon - who’s with me here? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/10 "2009-09-15T00:53:20Z")
Whale meat has suffered a decline in the taste of the Japanese market so the industry has mounted a campaign to interest kids in a food their parents avoid. > **[Reviving a Taste for Whale](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/18/AR2005061800890.html)** > > NATORI, Japan -- An animated group of schoolchildren from this suburban town in northern Japan poured into their gymnasium Thursday afternoon and listened raptly to a whale expert give a talk on the gentle giants of the sea. They passed around whale... I can see this with broccoli and Brussels sprouts. The argument regarding whales seems both commercial and an attempt to prop up an industry that has, literally, gone the way of the buggy whip. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/11 "2009-09-15T00:56:49Z")
> [@StaudtCJ](#): > > Cows and dogs aren’t considered endangered. Neither are Minke Whale. Unlike dogs they are however, delicious. Minke are species of Least concern. They can be sustainably harvested with proper management. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/12 "2009-09-15T01:09:41Z")
I’m not sure that the average Japanese cares one way or another for whaling, except that if the government agrees to stop it it will look like foreigners are telling the Japanese government what to do. The real reason there is whaling is because the clamoring of special interests within Japan. By way of analogy, is it true that “the Way to Stop Illegal Immigration is Changing American Minds”? ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/13 "2009-09-15T01:10:41Z")
Then I have no issue with Minke Whale harvesting. Now to make them only harvest Minke Whale. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/14 "2009-09-15T01:19:39Z")
> [@StaudtCJ](#): > > Then I have no issue with Minke Whale harvesting. Now to make them only harvest Minke Whale. This year’s quota only included 10 Non-Minke animals. In this case Fin whale which are considered endangered, but not critically. The Japanese maintain that these animals are taken for research purposes. Assuming that exhaustive tests only necessitate a small amount of flesh, BUT are not able to be performed without harvesting the animal, would you rather the animals be left to rot rather than be sold or consumed? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/15 "2009-09-15T01:24:13Z")
Maybe they’ll stop when the US stops being responsible for 20% of the world’s CO2 emissions? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/16 "2009-09-15T02:49:27Z")
Well, it’s not just the by-product of whale hunting. Japan’s overfishing problem is well-known. They have systematically driven species after species to the verge of extinction, moving on only when there isn’t enough to catch to be profitable. And they are not just wrecking their own backyard. They have a far enough to reach to decimate the waters as far away as Africa. Demand continues to rise and nothing has been done to stop the historically unprecidented amounts of fish the average Japanese person now expects to consume. It’s a good point that America is no saint when it comes to environmentalism. I think we all have some massive problems here. But something about Japan’s attitude towards nature- especially nature that is not particularly close to Japan- rubs me the wrong way. The ocean is not their personal mine. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/17 "2009-09-15T03:40:21Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > But something about Japan’s attitude towards nature- especially nature that is not particularly close to Japan- rubs me the wrong way. The ocean is not their personal mine. Point taken - I have seen some pretty bad fishing practices here. They are a bit late to take on board the whole sustainability idea. Whales though, if only they’d keep to their own waters, I wouldn’t have a problem with it at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/18 "2009-09-15T03:58:28Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > The Japanese maintain that these animals are taken for research purposes. Assuming that exhaustive tests only necessitate a small amount of flesh, BUT are not able to be performed without harvesting the animal, would you rather the animals be left to rot rather than be sold or consumed? Apparently only Norway and Japan feel so concerned about the true welfare of whales they’re the only ones to continue to do this kind of research. Unfortuenetly they’re OBLIGATED to harvest whats left. Why is fate so cruel? ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/19 "2009-09-15T04:14:09Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Demand continues to rise and nothing has been done to stop the historically unprecidented amounts of fish the average Japanese person now expects to consume. Overfishing is a problem that’s on everyone, not just the Japanese. They may create the demand, but the supply of fish meeting that demand comes from all over. The EU in particular has shown that it lacks the backbone to stand up to its fishing industry when it comes to issue of quotas. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056/20 "2009-09-15T04:47:54Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Demand continues to rise and nothing has been done to stop the historically unprecidented amounts of fish the average Japanese person now expects to consume. I found this claim a little suspicious since I’ve done research involving Japanese fish consumption in the 1950s, so I did some fact checking. Going by [FAO statistics](http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/global-consumption/en), Japanese per capita fish consumption has not increased significantly over the last 30+ years: 70.28 kg/yr in 1973 vs. 66.18 kg/yr in 2003 (the most recent data). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-way-to-stop-whaling-is-changing-japanese-minds/510056.md?page=2)