Whaling Commission Meets in Japan

[Guest guest]

http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/ap/20020425/ap_on_re_as/japan_wha\

ling_conference_9

 

Whaling Commission Meets in Japan

Thu Apr 25, 2:45 PM ET

By JOJI SAKURAI, Associated Press Writer

 

ABOARD THE TOSHIMARU NO. 25 (AP) - By his own

estimate, Yasuaki Sasaki has harpooned more than 1,100

whales as a gunner on Japanese whaling boats like this

one.

 

The burly, fourth-generation whaler handles the

swiveling, bazooka-like weapon with speed, agility and

an enthusiasm that some members of the International

Whaling Commission (news - web sites), particularly

Americans, might find difficult to accept.

 

" I'm so happy when I hit it straight on, " Sasaki said

of his prey. " It's a battle between man and whale. "

 

Sasaki has a message for critics of Japan's research

whaling program, many of whom gathered Thursday at the

start of the monthlong IWC meeting in southwestern

Shimonoseki, where the 732-ton Toshimaru No. 25 is

docked.

 

" They'd have a point if whales were on the point of

extinction, but they're not. Now the argument is,

'It's bad to kill the poor things,' " he said. " It's so

illogical. "

 

Sasaki has plenty of backers in the Japanese

government, which is lobbying to resume commercial

whaling despite considerable opposition from the

United States and Britain, among others.

 

The conference started with a scientific committee

meeting on population trends among minke whales, the

target of Japanese research expeditions. Japan is

expected to use its findings to argue that the species

now is so plentiful a limited commercial hunt would

not endanger it.

 

The United States, one of the biggest opponents of

Japan's research whale hunt, has threatened to impose

sanctions unless Tokyo scales back its program.

 

The IWC permits the scientific hunts and the resulting

sales of the whale meat, although it banned commercial

whaling in 1986 to protect the endangered mammals.

 

Japan's choice of the port town of Shimonoseki as the

conference venue was laden with symbolism.

 

The city — a mix of verdant hills, traditional wooden

homes and industrial grit — has for centuries been

guardian of Japan's whaling traditions and home to

generations of whalers. Dozens of shops sell whale

meat to the numerous restaurants lining the streets.

 

" People may feel uncomfortable about a different

culture but they shouldn't oppress or kill that

culture, " said Joji Morishita, leader of Japan's

scientific delegation to the IWC meeting. " We should

respect different cultures as long as you can do that

in a sustainable manner. "

 

Tokyo says its whaling program, begun in 1987, gauges

whale migration patterns, population trends and diet.

Conservationists, however, are horrified by what they

consider Japan's attempts to revive a practice that

drove some whale species to the brink of extinction.

 

" There is no way to guarantee limits (on commercial

whaling) will be obeyed, " said Motoji Nagasawa of

Greenpeace. " Even if Japan's monitoring systems are

good, many poor countries will start whaling to

provide Japan's markets with whales. "

 

There are about 760,000 minke whales in the Antarctic

Ocean, according to the IWC, which acknowledges that

Japan's killing of about 500 for scientific research

does not threaten the species' survival.

 

Minke whales can grow to 32 feet and weigh 10 tons.

 

The IWC's scientific committee will compile a report

on minke whales by May 10. The commission is expected

to vote at the end of its May 20-24 plenary session on

whether to allow commercial whaling to resume — a

decision requiring support from three-quarters of IWC

voting members.

 

Despite lobbying by Japan and support by other whaling

nations such as Norway, the ban likely will remain.

 

Even people with close ties to whaling have mixed

feelings about a resumption of commercial hunts.

 

" Once private companies get involved they might start

overhunting on the sly, " said Masataka Hidemura, the

manager of a shipyard used to dock Japan's research

whaling fleet.

 

2002 The Associated Press. All rights

reserved.

 

 

 

 

 

Games - play chess, backgammon, pool and more

http://games./