Whaling Today is updated several times a month with articles and essays from cetacean scientists, whaling experts, and other opinion leaders from Japan and around the world. Check this page for the latest content.
IWC68: New Contested Issues Emerging from the South (Part 3 of 4)
Overall, in IWC68 the process intended to produce fairness under Western standards was incapable of meeting the needs of developing countries.
IWC68: An International Whaling Commission in Crisis (Part 2 of 4)
The IWC68 financial crisis highlights the IWC’s reduced priority for scientific decision making and raises concerns among pro-sustainable use nations.
IWC68: Reflections on the Future of the International Whaling Commission (Part 1 of 4)
The resumption of commercial whaling was not Japan’s only policy goal at IWC68. Another policy goal was to uphold and promote the principle of sustainable use.
NAMMCO at 30: A Global Showcase of Marine Mammal Delicacies (Part 3 of 3)
The oceans cover 70% of the planet and NAMMCO provides an essential forum for unrestricted discussion of the interrelationship between humans and marine mammals.
NAMMCO At 30: Marine Mammals in Cultural Traditions and Identity (Part 2 of 3)
“Eating marine mammals is our national identity,” said the participants from Greenland. Their unity of viewpoint impressed this first-time participant.
NAMMCO at 30: Supporting Discussions on the Sustainable Use of Marine Mammals (Part 1 of 3)
Lessons in sustainability at NAMMCO showed why the whaling issue is not easily tidied away by declaring whether one is “for” or “against” hunting the animals.
Revisiting the Roots of the Whaling Issue: The Relationship Between Humans and Nature
In practice the IWC has already abandoned the management of whale resources and whaling, and the Western worldview caused this situation.
Revisiting the Roots of the Whaling Issue: Sustainable Use, Environmental Protection
Not the whaling moratorium, but the defense and promotion of the general principle of sustainable use is the important policy issue for many countries.
INTERVIEW | Hidehiro Kato: Battle for Science, Sustainability over Politics in the IWC
Part 2 of 2 Read Part 1: INTERVIEW | Hidehiro Kato on Optimism for the Future of Whales In October 2022, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will hold a meeting in Slovenia. This is the second of two articles based on a conversation with Dr Hidehiro Kato, one of Japan’s
INTERVIEW | Hidehiro Kato on Whale Research and Optimism for the Future
Dr Kato naturally hoped that the IWC would act based on the scientific results of the research. But whales had become a totem of the environmental movement.
‘Kitchen Car’ Whale Cuisine: New Dishes for a New Generation
“It makes me really happy when someone tries whale for the first time and says ‘this is really good!” ーRajiku chef Takatoyo Itahana.
A Lifelong Friend of Whaling: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in His Own Words
Abe’s legacy included overseeing a dramatic shift in Japan’s whaling policy, from the decision to withdraw from the IWC to the restart of commercial whaling.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: Taking Life, The Naked Providence of Nature
“We give thanks that we were able to make the catch without incident. We can’t forget our gratitude for the gift of another life” ー Taiji whaling captain.
Whales in the Japanese Landscape: Proud Thieves Seeking the Riches of the Sea
Japanese whalers of the Edo period made huge fortunes from an ocean resource that belonged to no one. Other groups stole some meat but weren’t punished.