Japan

Whaling and whale meat have been an important part of Japanese culture and dietary habits for more than 2000 years. Immediately following World War II the consumption of whale meat was about 45% of the total meat consumption in Japan, after which it remained at about 30%. However, since the 1960’s the supply of whale meat has gradually declined and, accordingly, consumption reduced.

Today, the Japanese hunt both small cetaceans for commercial purposes and “IWC-whales” for research purposes.

Japan’s commercial catch of small cetaceans:
 

·         In 2003, a total of 17,326 small cetaceans were caught, including species such as short-finned pilot whales (162), Dall's porpoise (15,722), Baird's beaked whales (70), Risso's dolphin (389), bottlenose dolphin (183), striped dolphin (451), spotted dolphin (135), etc.

·         Various forms of hunting take place. Most whales are caught by hand-held harpoon hunt, some by driving, and a few by small type whaling boats equipped with a harpoon cannon.

·         The small cetaceans are managed by the Government of Japan, not the IWC. The IWC does not have any legal competence on small cetaceans.

Japan’s whale research

·         The Convention specifically provides for IWC members to issue special permits for the killing of whales for research purposes and requires that the by-products of the research (meat) be utilized.

·         Japan’s current research program in the Antarctic began in 2005. The short name of the program is JARPA II, the long name is “Second Phase of the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the Antarctic - Monitoring of the Antarctic Ecosystem and Development of New Management Objectives for Whale Resources”.

·         The plan is to take up to 935 minke, 50 humpback and 50 fin whales per year. The first two years will be a feasibility study, in which no humpback whales will be taken, and the number of fin whales will be limited to a maximum of 10. In the winter 2006/07, 505 minke whales and 3 fin whales were hunted.

·         The former research program in the Antarctic began in 1987 in response to claims of uncertainty of scientific information on whale stocks. Sampling included the take of up to 440 minke whales per year from an abundant stock estimated at 760,000 animals. This program was concluded in 2005.

• Japan has also been conducting whale research in the western North Pacific since 1994. The current program includes the take of 150 minke whales, 50 Bryde’s whales, 50 sei whales and 10 sperm whales.

Further reading:

Ministry of Fisheries, Japan (external)
Institute of Cetacean Research (external)
Japan Whaling Association (external)
Whaling library (external)