Japan to continue whaling 'indefinitely' - will build supersized factory ship

[Barrett808]

Source: Daily Telegraph

Japan to continue whaling 'indefinitely'
By Lauren Williams
January 23, 2008 03:00am

JAPANESE officials have confirmed plans to build a supersized whaling mother ship, as Greenpeace urged Australian branches of Japanese companies to declare their position on whaling.

Iwata Tsuyoshi - deputy director of the whaling division of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said yesterday whaling would continue indefinitely and discussions had taken place regarding a replacement for the ageing factory ship Nisshin Maru.

"At the moment we have no contract, but the Nisshin Maru is old," Mr Iwata said. "It is unsuitable for the research we want to conduct in the future."

Commissioning a new mother ship would commit Japan to at least 40 more years of whaling.

Greenpeace has previously claimed Mitsubishi Heavy Industries may build the ship, which they claim would carry up to 6000 tonnes of whale meat - making it three times the size of the Nisshin Maru.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23092953-663,00.html

[LiberalFighter]

1. For what purpose do the Japanese need to continue whaling?

Research? That has got to be crap!@

[Barrett808]

4. Yes, they need a gigantic ship to hold all that, er, "research"

6,000 tons of it!

[Andrushka]

24. Arrogance blended with nationalism, that's what

And the more the "international community" (read: certain 'western' nations) back them into a corner, the stronger the nationalistic belligerent attitude in Japan, even from many decent people who could care less about the issue. This isn't about food sources or 'tradition' - it's sheer bloody-mindedness now.

I totally agree that this is abhorrent, but I am hardly surprised. A change of tactics is needed.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Not true. When whales are extinct, they'll stop. -nt

[flvegan]

3. A new Death Star. How lovely.

Someone give Sea Shepherd an Arleigh Burke class destroyer already, and get this over with.

[7 of 11]

22. If I recall

Both death stars were sunk and KIA.

[flvegan]

25. In the movie, yes.

I'd LOVE to see the kill ships scuttled in port. People off the boat, open her up.

Just like Iceland.

JUST like Iceland.

[7 of 11]

26. Nah just floating nets of strong chain that will get tangled in the propellers

The they will have to tow them to port. Do it enough times and it gets too expensive to sail anymore. And best of all no one gets hurt.

[flvegan]

27. You make a good point.

I'd like to see destruction of equipment at sea, which is Sea Shepherd's forte. Send 'em home, cost 'em money. I love it.

Prop-foulers are a tough one, though.

From what I understand, Sea Shepherd has a couple unused tools in the ole box...

[texastoast]

5. Hey Aussies! Get Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd some gas!!!

"The Japanese fleet has been unable to kill any whales for 12 days. However Mr Iwata said Japan had no plans to call off the hunt, confirming rumours of a strategy to exhaust Greenpeace fuel resources.

"Both Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are due to run out of fuel within the month."

[moggie]

8. I don't think Australia wants another war

That's America's job. There's a shitload of US military in Okinawa, if you really thirst for killing people.

On edit: apologies, replied to the wrong poster!

[Name removed]

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[Thothmes]

30. Will not happen

The Royal Australian Navy will not kill sailors to save whales. At best they may interfere with whaling operations, but they wil not start shooting.

[nebula]

34. Those 'sailors'

are guilty of committing serious crimes on the high seas.

they aren't deserving of any mercy.

they aren't sailors, they're pirates.

[Name removed]

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[Bonobo]

9. Anyone here know who drove sperm whales to near extinction?

Did you know that it was an American whaler that forcibly opened Japan?

[moggie]

13. One of the Black Ships was a whaler?

I didn't know that. Matthew Perry, right? Before he appeared in Friends, of course.

[Bonobo]

15. Well, one of the main reasons for going was to establish a center for the whale trade. nt

[moggie]

16. Interesting. And look at how it was done!

"Trade with America, or we'll attack you". Capitalism at its finest!

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[moggie]

14. They already paid for Pearl Harbor

There was a bit of a war. Perhaps you've heard of it?

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Glorfindel]

17. Vile, despicable barbarians

I can't think of any epithet BAD enough to apply to these murderers. :puke: :puke: :puke:

[judaspriestess]

19. they must be trying to compensate for lacking something

with this bullshit machismo attitude. I wonder what they feel they lack

[texastoast]

20. Hummer complex?

:rofl:

[KingOfLostSouls]

21. So does that mean...

more room to keel haul smelly hippies? Arrr, matey.

[ladjf]

23. "Indefinitely" = "Until there are no more whales." Way to go

Japan. You are losing the respect of the entire world over what for you is a trivial economic gain.

When the situation reaches the point where Japanese goods are boycotted, only then will you decommission you whale ships of horror.

[xchrom]

28. savage is as savage does. nt

[Algorem]

29. pathetic.hope it never makes it out of port.

[Bonobo]

31. A question for those that condemn all of Japan for the acts of a few whalers.

Besides all the other questions and points I could bring up to try to convince some people out there that Japan should not be "despised" because a microscopic percentage of them are engaged in whaling, let me ask this:

How many people here or anywhere protested when Bush recently unanimously declared that the US Navy is exempt from a federal judge's lawful order to cease the use of the new type of sonar that is strongly suspected of causing mass strandings?
Did anyone protest at all?
Did anyone get arrested?
Did anyone try to attack and risk the lives of navy personnel?
Did anyone even send an e-mail?
Did anyone call?
Did anyone write?
Where was the Sea Shepherd?

Any yet... you will sit there behind the computer and call for the death of all Japanese people?
Or wish for the death of the whalers?
Or despise the entire Nation of Japanese?
Or think of them as less human than you, as "bloody barbarians"?
Or curse "Bonobo" with all your breath for daring to question the morality of such a position?

Can't you hear the sick hate in your hearts? If so, you are not as divorced from the bloody, arrogant, sanctimonious, American-ness that you accuse the other side of.

From my perspective, it's not that different. It begins in the same place. Arrogance.

I am NOT invested in killing whales, of course I am not. Almost no one in the world is. But when I see this, this talk of bringing retribution down on ANY country whether it's Japan, Korea, Iraq, Iran, Mexico, because WE decide it is right, I can't stand it.
It's the same damned American arrogance and I don't care what you think justifies it.

Talking is better than attacking. If it's wrong for them, it's wrong for us.

...Awaiting attacks from all the people that have bigger hearts, or bigger minds, or better morals, or more sensitivity, or better sense or whatever than me.

[saigon68]

32. Not from me

I understand perfectly your position and out of respect, you understand mine.

This topic is so politically loaded-- that the thread has turned into a shouting match

:-)

[denverbill]

33. I don't 'despise' the entire nation.

But you need to realize that just as Americans are held responsible for invading Iraq even though 1/2 of us vehemently disagreed with the action, Japanese are held responsible for whaling.

Only the Japanese government can resolve this issue by making the hunt and sale of whale meat illegal. If only 1% or 5% or 10% or even 20% of Japanese people support whaling and eating whale meat, the other 80% need to pressure the govt to ban the practice.

Because people are going to start holding Japan more to account for not forcing an end to the practice.

[Vogon_Glory]

35. To Paraphrase Oscar Wilde

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, the unspeakable in pursuit of the unconscionable. I have a great deal of admiration for Japan, but I think that the Japanese political elite's love affair with whalers and whaling should end. I hope enough senior Japanese politicians stand up and call it off.