Japan Times Bashes IWC

[Guest guest]

Saturday, June 24, 2006

 

 

Japan heats up whaling wars

 

 

By JEFF KINGSTON

Special to The Japan Times

The battle over whaling has grown more acrimonious in recent years

principally because Japan has become a more vociferous and belligerent advocate

for a resumption of commercial whaling. In the recently concluded meeting of the

International Whaling Commission (IWC), Japan's representative browbeat and

threatened other member nations, including the United States, in an effort to

get its way. As a result, the Fisheries Agency has scored the diplomatic

equivalent of an own-goal. Japan continues to hunt whales -- killing some 2,000

this year alone -- under the cover of " scientific research. "

 

Its image has been further battered by allegations that it is aggressively

leveraging its aid programs to island nations in the South Pacific and Caribbean

to sway votes its way.

 

Given widespread indifference among the Japanese public about whaling and

eating whale meat, why is the government pursuing such a confrontational foreign

policy? It is important to bear in mind that the pro-whaling lobby in Japan does

not represent a consensus view among Japanese, many of whom prefer

whale-watching to nibbling on the fruits of research whaling. However, the

government does favor resumption of whaling and is seeking to end the moratorium

on whaling that did save the whales. Given that Japanese whaling operations

nearly drove some species into extinction, its plans to resume commercial

whaling have understandably drawn special scrutiny from conservationists all

over the world.

 

Japan's case rests on culture, science, principle and propaganda. Whale

consumption is portrayed as a deeply embedded culinary tradition and

anti-whaling activists are accused of cultural imperialism. To advocates, eating

whale meat is an issue of national identity, an identity that is under siege on

many fronts. They also argue that science is on their side, citing studies that

show a strong recovery among certain whale species that would permit a

resumption of managed whaling.

 

There is also a sense that Japan has been double-crossed by anti-whaling

nations in the IWC. Japan agreed to a moratorium on whaling, not a permanent

prohibition, and IWC rules specify that whaling policies should be driven by

science. So there is a perception that anti-whaling nations have hijacked the

IWC and made it into a vehicle to impose their views on conservation regardless

of science.

 

Standing up for whaling is thus projected as a matter of principle. And

this is where the propaganda machine kicks in, hammering home the idea that

Japan is the target of double standards. Otherwise urbane and sophisticated

Japanese officials can suddenly morph into sputtering jingoists over the subject

of whaling, exuding self-righteous indignation.

 

How has whaling become a talismanic symbol of Japanese identity? The

Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), funded by the government, is in the

business of promoting whaling and also orchestrates a media campaign to convince

Japanese that whaling is part of their national identity. They also try to spur

whale consumption, but to little avail. The major problem for advocates of

whaling is that Japanese consumers are not buying even heavily subsidized whale

meat; one third of the harvest of " scientific research " remains unsold. That is

why whale is being processed into dog treats. The trend toward declining whale

consumption preceded the moratorium on whaling and now very few Japanese are

eating it even though it is widely available at reasonable prices.

 

Japan's taxpayers are paying for this mind-boggling boondoggle,

subsidizing research whaling expeditions that gain international opprobrium

while funding a research institute that produces little research and also

markets whale meat at tax-subsidized prices that most Japanese don't want.

 

The claim that resumption of whaling is based on solid science also

doesn't wash. The data is dodgy, hard to confirm and tainted for a number of

reasons. DNA testing reveals mislabeling of whale meat sold in Japanese markets

to hide the fact that species in danger of extinction are being killed for a

research program of dubious merits. So even if it is possible to sensibly manage

whaling of some species, there is little confidence that whaling won't also

involve endangered species.

 

Science is also inconvenient in exposing the dangers of whale consumption.

There have been public health warnings that there are extremely high

concentrations of toxic chemicals -- PCBs and mercury -- in whale meat, and

pregnant women have been warned not to eat any at all. Advocates have also

blamed declining fish stocks on too many hungry whales, the scientific

equivalent of blaming sheep flatulence for ozone depletion. Fishery resources

have been badly mismanaged, a problem of over-fishing that raises legitimate

concerns over proposals to manage whale stocks.

 

Conservationists are relieved that Japan lost four substantive votes on

whaling and only prevailed -- by one vote -- on a non-binding declaration that

reiterates the principles of the IWC. This minor propaganda victory is already

being milked for what its worth. However, given dismal prospects for overturning

the moratorium -- 75 percent of the votes are required to do so -- Japan will

continue to evade it through research whaling.

 

As IWC delegates prepare for the next annual meeting in Anchorage,

emotions on both sides are running high, trumping science and sensible

compromises. The acrimonious impasse, and harpooning, will continue.

 

Jeff Kingston is director of Asian studies at Temple University Japan.

The Japan Times

© All rights reserved