2012-11-16

Japanese Government To Sell Whale Meat More Widely To Raise Funds

The Japanese Fisheries Agency has decided to start selling meat from whales caught for so-called ‘scientific research’ purposes directly to restaurants and individuals in 2013 to pay off the increasing losses that its scientific whaling programme has built up.

The agency plans to sell more whale meat to consumers through mail order and to provide more whale meat at a cheaper price to schools for children’s lunches. Japan uses the loophole in the regulations that ban the commercial slaughter of whales in order to hunt these creatures. Previously, the meat caught for ‘research purposes’ has been sold to a limited number of meat traders. But the consumption of whale meat amongst ordinary Japanese people has been steadily declining.

WDC sees this move as a cynical attempt by the agency to try to create a market for whale meat, and as a cover for what is essentially illegal commercial whaling.