(JP) Views from the street on whaling

[Guest guest]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fl20050621vf.htm

 

FEATURE

 

Views from the street

 

By MELANIE BURTON

 

To eat or not to eat whale? With the West up in arms

and Japan in the hot seat at the IWC meeting in Korea,

Melanie Burton asked people whose side they were on.

 

Yuka Saito

Finance, 23

 

Anti, because I don't think we need whale to eat. I've

never eaten whale, but I've heard that it doesn't

taste too good. There are lots of other things that we

can eat besides whale, I think.

 

Irit Tapira

Student, 27

 

I think they are the smartest animals and they

shouldn't be eaten. I'm a vegetarian and in general in

first world countries, other alternatives to killing

animals can be found.

 

Aalim Weljie

Biochemist, 31

 

If whales are endangered then I'd be against it, but

there are cultural reasons why it should be allowed in

a sustainable way. I wouldn't rule out a return to

commercial whaling.

 

Masaki Otsuka

Editor, 33

 

I'm supportive, actually. The information that I'm

getting is that the number of whales is growing, and

that it's sustainable to catch the whales now. It's

part of our culture and it tastes wonderful.

 

Zack Franklin

Finance, 27

 

Anti, because they're endangered. If they were

plentiful, restricted numbers would be okay. The

whaling industry did a lot for the U.S.. It wasn't the

prettiest or nicest industry but there were a lot of

useful products that came of it.

 

Satomi Watanabe

Real Estate, 25

 

If they catch a lot of whales, it's not good, of

course, but I can't say killing a small percentage of

whales is bad, because it's good for business.

 

The Japan Times: June 21, 2005

© All rights reserved