Japan pushes whaling as consumers' appetite fades - Reuters

[Eugene]

Japan pushes whaling as consumers' appetite fades

By Elaine Lies
Reuters
Saturday, February 10, 2007; 9:38 PM

TOKYO (Reuters) - Whaleburgers are on the menu at Akiji Ichihara's restaurant
to lure young customers, who tend to turn up their noses at boiled blubber or
sliced raw whale.

-snip-

Despite their government's dedication to whaling in the face of harsh international
criticism, appetite for the delicacy is waning among ordinary Japanese.

"I don't really want to eat whale, though I have in the past," said Hitoko Makigaki,
44, as she took a cigarette break outside in downtown Tokyo. "The number of
whales is falling and there's a lot of other good things to eat these days."

-snip-

"There was a time when there was only whale to eat and we didn't have meat.
We had no choice," said Yoko Tomiyama, chairwoman of the Consumers' Union
of Japan.

"But I really wonder why the state now is so reluctant to stop whaling and instead
is pushing whale on people."

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021001634.html

[Kagemusha]

1. There's a strong argument that it's not "in spite" of strong condemnation

it's "because" of that strong condemnation, that the government seeks to be aggressive regarding the whaling issue. It's transferring aggression to something that doesn't involve blowing up and killing people, since Japan doesn't do that sort of thing anymore, hasn't in a long time.

It is not a good excuse, as the people quoted in the article suggest. It is unfortunately reality.

[flvegan]

3. "Blowing up and killing people"???

So transferring that aggression towards animals is okay? I guess they just NEED to have some sort of slaughter, then. Seems like that's what you're saying.

[Kagemusha]

4. You didn't read the "it's not a good excuse" part, I take it.

And that was a damned short reply of mine to the original post too. But hey, it's a free country, so if you're that determined not to read a part of someone's message, that's up to you.

[flvegan]

5. Hmmm

"It's transferring aggression to something that doesn't involve blowing up and killing people"

mark

[Name removed]

6. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flvegan]

2. What a GREAT quote...

"So I decided to put it between bread, to encourage more people to eat whale. Whale is part of our food culture, so I wish it could be made more available."

So, because it's part of some "food culture" it should continue, even though the people subject to that culture don't want it? How fucking brilliant.

Fuck Japan's take on whaling. Idiot dipshits. Nothing more. No defense to it outside of "well, that's what we've done and WANT to do in the future" is fucking pathetic.