Japanese whaling

Automated cruelty – vending machines in Japan now dispense dead whale

By Danny Groves | 01/18/2023 |

In an effort to prop up the cruel and declining whaling industry in Japan, one company is desperately attempting to increased consumption of whale meat by selling it via vending machines. Kyodo Senpaku Co., a Tokyo-based major whaling operator, is opening four unmanned Kujira (whale) vending machine stores selling whale meat and processed whale meat…

Whale meat fetches record high at Japan auction

By Danny Groves | 11/17/2022 |

Sei whale meat is being sold at a record high in Japan according media reports there. Ironically, while delegates from around the world at COP27 discuss ways to tackle climate change, tail meat from a sei whale, one of our biggest ocean allies in the fight against climate breakdown, is fetching 500,000 yen (about $3,600)…

Over 300 more whales killed by Japanese hunting fleet

By Danny Groves | 04/03/2018

Japanese whaling vessels have returned to port from the Antarctic Ocean after killing 333 minke whales as planned. The fleet, consisting of the Yushin Maru (724 tons), The 3rd Yushin Maru (742 tons)., and three other vessels, including the factory ship, Nisshin Maru (8145 tons) and the 2nd Yushin Maru (747 tons), left Japan for the…

Japanese plans to build new whale hunting ship attracts widespread criticism

By Danny Groves | 01/19/2018

The Japanese Fisheries Agency has reiterated plans to begin the process of building a new whale hunting vessel in 2018 to lead its whaling fleet in the future, a controversial move that is likely to attract widespread international criticism. The new ship will replace the Nisshin Maru, the 8,145-ton mother ship of the whaling fleet…

EU letter critical of Japanese whaling

By Danny Groves | 07/28/2017

Japan’s new ‘scientific’ whale hunting programme (known as NEWREP-NP) in the North Pacific has been formally criticized, once again, by the European Union (EU) in a letter to the governments that form the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the international body that regulates whale hunting. The letter from the 25 EU Member States is critical of…

Japanese government faces criticism from its own people over new whale hunt plans

By Danny Groves | 07/06/2017

In an unusual press event today, Japanese government officials faced criticism from within the country over plans to resume commercial whaling, which is currently banned by the International Whaling Commission (the body that regulates the hunts). The panel discussion took place between Kiyoshi Ejima representing Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party, Shigeki Takaya, director of Whaling Affairs Office at…

Japanese government announces increase in 'scientific' whale slaughter

By Danny Groves | 11/10/2016

The Japanese government has revealed its plans to increase the number of whales it wants to catch and kill in the Northwestern Pacific for so-called research. Despite the scientific value of ‘research’ hunts being criticised by International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the International Whaling Commission’s own Scientific Committee of experts, the Japanese…

Japanese hunt kills 16 whales for research

By Danny Groves | 06/06/2016

The latest Japanese government ‘research’ whale hunt in the waters off Miyagi Prefecture has resulted in 16 minke whales being killed. The whaling was conducted from April 9 to May 25 under research commissioned by the Japanese Fisheries Agency to look into the diet of the minke whales. However, much of the meat from Japanese…