Japan and those whaling votes
I hope everyone had a relaxing and pleasant Easter break. It was interesting to come back from the break this morning to speculation about numbers at the International Whaling Commission, and whether Japan has *ahem* garnered enough support for a 51% majority.
While they would need at least 75% support from member countries to lift the current moratorium on commercial whaling, there are a number of measures that would assist Japan greatly in its goal of eventually resuming full commercial whaling which could be brought in with a simple majority. Secret ballots, for example, would allow smaller, newer members of the IWC to vote with Japan without facing up to of anti-whaling nations like New Zealand and Australia, and thus probably increase the pro-whaling vote at the commission.
Still, it should be remembered that it was thought Japan had a simple majority last time the IWC met, but in the event too many of its potential allies were absent from the vote and its motions were defeated, so even apparent support is not as strong as it could be.
The IWC meets in St Kitts and Nevis, a pro-whaling nation, in May and June this year. Here’s a taste of how the whaling issue is covered by the local media.
April 18th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
Interesting… if we weren’t so childish in the first place, and allowed Japan to have a sustainable hunting quota in the first place then Japan wouldn’t feel the need to be so sneaky to establish its nation’s pride and have commercial fishing.
April 18th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
That seems a well reasoned stance.
Now, getting into arguments about the intelligence and sentience of whales is a different issue, but they are presenting a call for what looks like an easily sustainable whaling community in their own country.
April 18th, 2006 at 9:24 pm
Australia: Hey Kiribati, how about dropping your support for Japanese whale hunting.
Kiribati:We’ll think about it when you sign Kyoto.
Ouch !
April 18th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Am I the only one who finds it pathetic and inane that land lock and minute nations can have a vote on the International Whaling Commission?
April 19th, 2006 at 11:37 am
But the conceit that all nations are of equal worth and deserving of an equal say in world affairs works so well. Just look at the UN
April 19th, 2006 at 11:46 am
Conceit or Concept ?
Makes a world of difference to the meaning of your comment !
April 19th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Oh, I meant what I said.
April 21st, 2006 at 2:13 am
I’m interested to see the comments here regarding secret ballots.
In normal democratic processes, people have the right to keep their voting patterns to themselves. This is to prevent situations where you vote for the opposition, and then the next day you get a visit from some people sent by the dictator of your country to have a word with you.
This sort of protection is generally regarded as a good thing because of this - it enables people to vote the way they really think.
I would most CERTAINLY hope that secret ballots at the IWC wouldn’t lead to ANY nation changing their voting patterns (if such an event did occur, it would indicate that until now they had been unable to vote freely), but I wouldn’t be surprised if as you say it does increase the support for sustainable commercial uses of the world’s whale stocks for food.
I would have thought that the Greens of all parties would actually be standing up and saying “yes, let’s have secret ballots to ensure democracy”.
It’s worth noting that a range of small nations have spoken out on this issue in recent years, requesting nations such as Australia and New Zealand to respect their sovereignty and right to vote in what they see as the best interests for their people.
And finally, it’s also worth pointing out that even if the commercial moratorium were to be lifted, it’s not going to spell a massive environmental catastrophe as Chris Carter likes to claim. The reality is that the IWC now has in place an extremely conservative catch limit setting algorithm (the RMP). Catch limits wouldn’t even be set for any stock below 54% of it’s pre-whaling estimate, which is extremely safe. Humpback whale stocks were depleted far far more than that yet they are showing today that they are able to bounce back. South African scientists recently noted that their models indicate that certain humpback stocks will be back at their pre-whaling estimate levels within the next 2 decades. A large majority of people who oppose whaling appear to have misplaced fears that whalers may grant themselves a free hand to take as many whales as they please. That’s simply not the case.
All this news should be welcomed - it’s actually a fabulous success story for conservation. The only bad news is that New Zealand has to face up to the reality that whales, while symbollic of nature to New Zealanders, are just another source of protein for people of other cultures in other parts of the world.
April 21st, 2006 at 10:25 am
Yes, secret ballots are a good thing because they actually decrease the effectiveness of vote buying strategies. You can sell your vote and then vote however you feel like with the buyer being unaware of your true actions.
April 21st, 2006 at 10:40 am
Did you read the story ?
Oh come on! The IWC is hardly a normal democratic process when Japan is running around with bucket loads of cash, bribing any small nation that wants “development” funds.
Can you provide a concrete example where NZ has said that our aid is dependant on them voting ? Unlike Japan.
And other questions. Why does Japan keep up the farce of so called “scientific” whaling? Is it the science of killing that they are advancing ? Why don’t they just say they want to kill whales and be done with it ?
April 21st, 2006 at 5:56 pm
It’s a matter of national pride. this has been admitted publicly a number of times by Japanese spokespeople (when pressed), recently.
what’s interesting to me is that there is no market for this whalemeat anymore, and in fact thousands of tonnes of it is quietly rotting away in warehouses, while still more of it is being made into petfood.
what’s also interesting to me is that NZers appear to be choosey when it comes to which marine mammals they feel are deserving of protection. last week’s decision with no repercussions/outbursts in the media is ample evidence of that.
April 22nd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
fastbike:
As JamesP notes, secret ballots protect small nations from the lure of not only the anti-whaling nations and the NGOs who threaten them with trade and tourism boycotts, but also from the alledged bribes of the Japanese government.
It’s quite telling that Japan is pushing for the secret ballots, and NZ and its anti-whaling buddies are against it. That Japan wants to introduce the measure says clearly that they believe small nations would support the sustainable use of whale resources on principle, whether they are receiving ODAs from Japan or not. NZ alledges that these nations have sold their souls to a willing purchaser in the form of the Japanese government, yet NZ is too scared to put the allegation to the test by supporting secret ballots at the IWC, to ensure that all members can vote freely in accordance with what they believe is best for their people. You can but draw your own conclusions as to why this is (mine is that they are scared of their “world opinion is against whaling” myth getting exploded in what would be a political publicity nightmare)
Regarding your other questions.
Here goes:
Japan is totally open about it’s intention to re-open commercial whaling in future, even if you haven’t heard about it in the western media. I’ve been meaning to start an unnofficial FAQ about whaling issues for some time, and your question is going to be first on my list
- Japan does indeed wish to resume commercial whaling, in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.
- Japan does not hide this at all (http://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/whale/assertion/assertion.htm), but that does not mean Greenpeace and co. can not release lots of misleading propaganda to confuse the issue.
- This convention recognises that whale stock sizes may increase and decrease over time, so it includes a Schedule, in which catch limits for whale stocks can be set and modified with agreement from 75% of the IWC membership. Currently the commercial catch limits for all whale stocks is 0 (this setting is known as the commercial moratorium).
- The 0 catch limit was originally set with the prime reason given by proponents being that there were too many uncertainties regarding whale stocks for safe catch limits to be set.
- The IWC’s Scientific Committee consequently set out to devise a “Revised Management Procedure” for setting catch limits in such a manner that scientific uncertainties were taken into account. They completed this work in 1992, unanimously recommending the work to the IWC, and in 1994 the IWC chose to adopt the RMP as it’s catch limit setting procedure.
- Because the RMP takes into account a huge range of scientific uncertainties, the catch limits that it produces are extremely conservative.
- This is where Japan’s research comes into the picture - Japan wishes to allow a resumption in commercial whaling, under the conditions of the ICRW. One objective of Japan’s research is to reduce scientific uncertainties, such that the IWC can safely set higher catch limits, without increasing the risk of depleting the targetted stocks.
- In 1997, the IWC Scientific Committee reviewed the original JARPA programme at its half-way point and confirmed that the JARPA programme did indeed have the potential to improve on the RMP procedure in a number of ways (http://www.iwcoffice.org/conservation/permits.htm#jarpa). The NGO groups often state that the IWC Scientific Committee has said Japan’s research is not required for the RMP. Indeed it is not required - but that purpose of the research is not to meet the needs of the RMP, but to aid the development of a better management procedure such that safe catch limits can be set with higher certainty - allowing for increased catch limits.
- While Japan is obviously interested in making for higher catch limits through bettered scientific understanding, Japan’s opponents are against whaling full-stop, let alone increases in whaling catch limits.
This should make it clear why the NGO groups and their parrot governments such as New Zealand criticise the research as a “sham”. None of that is secret knowledge - but you won’t find much of it in Greenpeace and anti-whaling government press releases.
naturevision:
I live in Tokyo, and there is still a market for whale meat. It’s available in quite a few restaurants. I think spreading this misinformation is just a new Greenpeace tactic.
I totally agree with you that NZers do appear to be choosey regarding marine mammals.
April 22nd, 2006 at 5:56 pm
PlanetArk 15 Feb 06
Whale Meat Returns to Japan School Menus - Report
BBC 10 Feb 06
Whale meat ‘made into dog food’
PlanetSave 9 Feb 06
Japan-Whale For Sale
Written by Hiroko Tabuchi
TOKYO (AP) — Japan has enticed children with whale burger school lunches, sung the praises of the red meat in colorful pamphlets, and declared whale hunting “a national heritage.’
But Tokyo has been caught in a striking dilemma: by rapidly expanding its much-criticized whaling program, Japan now kills more of the mammals than its consumers care to eat.
The result is an unprecedented whale glut. Prices — once delicacy-high — are plunging, inventories are bursting, and promoters are scrambling to find new ways to get Japanese to eat their whale.
“I have to admit prospects for whale demand don’t look good at the moment,” said Kunitada Ito, a merchant at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. His company, Toshoku, has slashed whale meat prices by 25 percent, but its freezers are still stacked with it.
Toshoku’s plight is not unique. Some 1,035 tons of the meat hit the market in Japan last year, a 65 percent increase from 1995, the Fisheries Agency says. And sluggish demand means inventories have almost doubled in five years to 2,704 tons in 2004. In the same five-year period, the average price of whale plunged almost 30 percent, to 2,560 yen (US$21.60; euro18.08) a kilogram (2.2 pounds) in 2004.
But the glut hasn’t stopped the harpoon guns. Tokyo plans to kill — under a research program — some 1,070 minke whales in 2006, over 400 more than last year and more than double the number it hunted a decade ago. Japan will also hunt 10 fin whales, and a total of 160 Bryde’s, sei and sperm whales, fisheries official Kenji Masuda said.
The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986 but approved limited hunts for research purposes a year later.
Opponents have called Japan’s hunts merely a way for it to dodge the ban. Tokyo, however, says its program is needed to establish reliable information on whale populations and habits — data that Japan says can only be gleaned by killing the animals.
The government, which distributes the meat, and uses profits to fund further research, is scrambling to promote whale-eating and secure new distribution channels.
“Is it OK to eat whale meat? Of course it is,” reads a public relations pamphlet, titled “Delicious Whales,” distributed by the government-affiliated Japan Whaling Association. “Even if we capture 2,000 whales a year for 100 years, it’s OK because whale numbers are growing,” the pamphlet says.
But the association acknowledges whale is a hard sell. The meat was considered a rich source of protein in the lean years after defeat in World War II, but people moved on to other meats — notably beef — as they became more affluent.
Some local governments have started to tackle the challenge by promoting whale meat in school lunches. Wakayama, a prefecture with a strong whale-hunting tradition some 450 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of Tokyo, has been aggressive in getting youngsters to indulge, introducing whale meals at 270 public schools in 2005.
Nutritionists have developed child-friendly whale dishes, including whale meatballs, hamburgers and whale spaghetti Bolognese, said Tetsuji Sawada of Wakayama’s education board.
But it may take a long time to change consumer habits. Young diners at a Hana No Mai restaurant in Tokyo — one of several low-cost chains adding the increasingly cheap meat to their menus — turned their noses up at the blubber Wednesday night.
“To put it simply, whale meat tastes horrible,” said Kosuke Nakamura, 30. Younger people were put off by the tough, pungent meat, while it brought back memories of postwar poverty for older generations, he said.
While few Japanese voice environmental concerns over whaling, young people like Nakamura say it has brought the country a lot of unfavorable publicity. “Whaling’s so bad for Japan’s image. I don’t know why we still hunt,” Nakamura said.
Chimney Co., which runs the Hana No Mai eateries, acknowledged customers were wary of the new whale dishes, introduced in November. Still, officials say Hana No Mai will continue to carry whale meat.
A trader at one of Tsukiji market’s biggest wholesalers, Daito Gyorui Co., was equally optimistic. “The fall in prices is a good thing because it will make whale meat more accessible,” Yoshiaki Kochi said. “Japanese will never forget the taste of whale. It’s part of our culture. It’s in our DNA.”
BBC 10 Feb 06
Whale meat ‘made into dog food’
Meat from whales caught under Japan’s “research” programme is so abundant that it is being sold as pet food, according to a UK conservation group.
Thousands of tonnes of whale meat has been stockpiled as more animals are killed each year, says the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS).
The Japanese government has attempted to sell the whale meat to schools but the price has continued to fall.
A company is selling meat on the web as “healthy and safe natural” dog food. “A quiet whale meat boom is starting,” says the website hakudai.com. “The number of pet-owners who care about their animals’ health are growing, recognising the nutritious value of whale meat,” it adds. “Now the demand and the sales are soaring.”
Nutritious and delicious
The website describes whale meat as “organic” and fished “freshly out of the water”.
Mark Simmonds, director of science at WDCS, said: “Whaling is a cruel activity and the fact that Japan is killing these amazing animals to produce dog food is shocking. “We have heard many arguments from Japan over the years about why whaling is necessary to them but they have never stated that they needed to kill whales to feed their dogs.”
A global moratorium on commercial whaling has been in place since the 1980s, but hunting for scientific research is permitted under the rules of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
The hunting is condemned by most conservation groups on the grounds that it is inhumane, unnecessary and may harm fragile populations.
Japan and Iceland run scientific programmes, while Norway lodged a formal objection to the moratorium and maintains an openly commercial operation. A number of indigenous peoples are also allowed to hunt under tight restrictions.
Expanding the kill
The sheer volume of Japan’s operations makes it the principal target for the wrath of conservation groups.
In the current hunting season, it launched a programme called JARPA-2 which doubles its annual minke whale catch from Antarctic waters. JARPA-2 will remove 935 minkes and 10 fin whales each year; while its other research programme JARPN takes 100 sei whales, 100 minkes, 50 Bryde’s whales and five sperm whales annually from the north Pacific.
The IWC obliges countries practising scientific whaling to process what they catch, and the meat from Japan’s programmes has always found its way into restaurants. Last year, it initiated a scheme to distribute whale meat to schools, and a fast-food chain began selling whale burgers.
But the latest news suggests demand from Japan’s human population is running some way behind the recently expanded supply. WCDS quotes research showing that the price of meat from Bryde’s whales has halved over the last five years, with other species falling as well.
Protest for survival
Most whale species are at risk of extinction, and last year 63 members of the IWC’s Scientific Committee condemned the JARPA expansion.
“With the new proposal, Japan will increase its annual take… to levels approaching the annual commercial quotas for Antarctic minke whales that were in place prior to the moratorium,” they declared.
In January a group of 17 countries, including the UK, mounted a formal diplomatic protest. “The UK is totally opposed to any activity that undermines the present moratorium on commercial whaling,” said Britain’s fisheries minister Ben Bradshaw at the time. “We urge Japan to reconsider its position and end this unjustified and unnecessary slaughter which is regarded by many countries and their public as a means to bypass the IWC moratorium.”
Japan maintains that hunting is part of its cultural heritage, which other nations have no right to condemn.
April 22nd, 2006 at 7:20 pm
naturevision:
Just went for a walk down the street earlier today and to my surprise there was a shop with “whale bacon” on the menu that I’d never seen before
Again, I can only but warn you about what you are told in the western media about Japan - not just the whaling issue but everything. The media coverage I have seen often makes me wonder if there isn’t some other country called Japan besides the one I’m living in.
I took a look at the pet food complaint, and it appears to be another typically misleading propaganda piece.
Hakudai.com is a whale meat website selling products mainly targetting humans. The pet food section is here:
http://www.hakudai.com/pet.html
They even have a note in English explaining that product is made from small intenstines of baird’s beaked whales, a smaller cetacean species which Japan considers to not be covered by the IWC’s competence.
Humans don’t eat parts such as the small intestines, so it’s both natural and environmentally friendly for these parts to be processed as pet food if they can, rather than simply thrown out in the trash.
Also, this species is not one of those being investigated under the JARPA research.
The NGO guy in the article trying to give the impression that fine cuts of whale meat from the antarctic research programmes is being turned into pet food is, simply put, a liar.
The hakudai site is also an example that there is a certain level of demand in Japan for whale products, and it’s not being forced down peoples throats by the government, as seems to be the latest line of argument from the anti-whaling NGO crowd.