Now many people in the world warn about the extinction of
whales, but can you affirm it is scientifically obvious
information? In his editorials, "Foes of Whaling Lack Logic" and
"Maintaining IWC Membership is in Japan's Interest," Kunio
Yonezawa points to the antiwhaling delegations' expedient use of
uncertain information. Yonezawa asserts the naturalness of
Japan's objection to the United Nations' sanctuary resolution
referring to the harvesting of minke whales: whaling gives
Japanese fishermen a lot of money. Further, he argues that the
problems reflect larger issues such as "the fundamental human
right to use natural resources responsibly: mutual respect for
divergent cultural and ethical values; and freedom from the
tyranny of the majority" (Yonezawa 17).
I agree with his way of thinking about cultural and ethical
values. It is reasonable and also very important. But now is the
time we have to consider all environmental problems on earth, not
one culture. In fact, there is a surprising diminution of whales
in the Southern Hemisphere (Sakurai 3 1). Before we say "There is
no scientific proof that whales are on the edge of extinction" or
"Japan should withdraw from IWC," we must reconsider whaling in
all its aspects, especially in terms of world environment
(Yonezawa 16,17).
In 1982, the United Nations resolved a moratorium in saying
that whales were on the edge of extinction, but this resolution
wasn't recommended by the IWC's own Scientific Committee
(Yonezawa 16). Yonezawa explains the reason for the objection of
Scientific Committee: there is no scientific proof. According to
the Scientific Committee's study on whales, there are some
species that are large in number. However, anti-whaling
delegations affirmed that "ALL whale species were threatened with
extinction" (Yonezawa 16). In short, they make use of an
ambiguous scientific proof to support their idea. Then Yonezawa
points out that it is "most presumptuous to impose one's ethical
values or penchant for certain fauna on others who do not share
the same views" (Yonezawa 17).
The United Nations' proposal on the sanctuary was adopted in
1992 and was named the Antarctic Sanctuary, but it covered large
areas equal "in the Northern Hemisphere [north] to a line
connecting roughly Aomori, Lisbon, and Washington, D.C."
(Yonezawa 16). Japan insisted that minke whales should be
excluded from the sanctuary, because they were abundant (Yonezawa
16). To support his idea, Yonezawa insists that harvesting of
2,000-3,000 minke whales is "equal to zero as regards [to] the
overall minke population and the ecosystem of which it is a part"
(Yonezawa 16). He added that this minimal harvesting would give
us precious indicators to observe the change in both the minke
population and the ecosystem. Considering all of this, he says it
was natural that the government of Japan should object formally
to the sanctuary resolution (Yonezawa 16).
As things stand now, Japan and other countries doubt the
advantage of Japan's staying in the IWC (Yonezawa 17). Yonezawa
guesses Japan's withdrawal from IWC would be praised by
extremists, but he argues "it would not necessarily help our
concern for sustainable whaling or further our larger cause"
(Yonezawa 17). Yonezawa says that larger cause we stand for
contains much broader questions about "fundamental human rights [
and ] mutual respect for divergent . . . values and freedom
from the tyranny of the majority" (Yonezawa 17). In other words,
Yonezawa wants to indicate the different viewpoints between
anti-whaling delegations and Japan: the former see whales as
animals which are on the edge of extinction, and the latter see
them as commercial animals. Earlier in his essay, Yonezawa points
out that anti-whaling delegations use scientific
information-nation which is uncertain. Showing the obvious
information about the harvesting of minke whales and the
ecosystem, he concludes, "it is inevitable that the government of
Japan will lodge a formal objection to the sanctuary resolution"
(Yonezawa 16).
Mr. Yonezawa insists on the naturalness of Japan's objection
to the United Nations Antarctic Sanctuary resolution, which was
suggested by France, because it has no scientific evidence. Also
he argues that a few thousand harvests of minke whales are "equal
to zero" and would give us precious information to observe
overall changes in the minke population and the ecosystem
(Yonezawa 16). 1 wonder if it is necessary for Japan to catch the
minke whales by going to the Antarctic Ocean because there are
few people who eat whale in Japan. I think we aren't in trouble
if we can't get the whale's meat, because we have many other
kinds of food. We have other choice. Adding to this, we can get
the information about minke whale by the careful observation, not
killing whales. According to the Green Peace officer, Junko
Sakurai, whales breed slowly and live in a group. If someone
says, "The overall number of minke whale is 60,000, so we can
catch 2,000-3,000 of them," it is not right because there is a
possibility that we catch many whales from one group or only
males or only females (Sakurai 23). After all, we really don't
know the role of whales in the ecosystem, so we shouldn't assume
that it's only "natural" to harvest them.
Next to this, the author made mention of "mutual respect for
divergent cultural ... values" (Yonezawa 17). 1 understand he
suggests the Japanese custom to eat whale. Almost all people who
agree to whaling say eating whale has been a Japanese custom for
many years. But is it really true? I remember eating whale's meat
when I was in elementary school, though I have never eaten it at
home. Junko Sakurai, who is the Green Peace officer, admits
eating whales as a special local dish but denies it to be an
eating custom which is familiar to all Japanese. According to
her, it is after the Second World War that Japanese started to
eat whale, and people who lived in the east part of Japan didn't
eat it in the Edo period (Sakurai 28). 1 think there are not many
people who want to eat whale by all means now. Then do we have to
go to the Antarctic Ocean for whaling? If we aim to keep the
local dish using whale's meat, we first should consider whether
we can catch them on the coast of Japan or not. If we can catch
enough whales on the coast of Japan, it is clear that we don't
have to go to the Antarctic Ocean.
Further still, Yonezawa claims that it is most impudent to
seek to impose one's own values of culture and ethics. I agree
with this point, but I don't understand why this idea leads us to
whaling. If people want other people to understand their way of
thinking, they also must try to understand others. Professor
Hideo Obara, says that in this modem society all cultures are
connected with environment. For example, if here is a wonderful
culture in a certain country, but if it needs much wood, the use
of wood must be limited. We shouldn't think only of our culture.
It is needed for us to have wide outlook on things. We have to
see things from above, not the side. This way of thinking also
applies to whaling. We can't say we have the right to catch
whales, because eating whales is our culture. We must consider
the environmental problems of the world first of all.
As for me, I am against whaling in the Antarctic Ocean. The
stoppage of whaling in this ocean is not a big damage for the
Japanese economy as Yonezawa seems to suggest (Obara 54). For
that reason, we don't have to stick to whaling in the Antarctic
Ocean. Furthermore, it seems that Japan is isolated from other
countries because we are insisting whaling. Now the world becomes
smaller and smaller, and we need to five together. Of course
there are many things we have to share, for example the Antarctic
Ocean. The thing Japan should do now is to accept the United
Nations Antarctic Sanctuary resolution and request IWC to admit
whaling on the coast of Japan.
by Sayaka Kaida
Works Cited
Yonezawa, Kunio. "Foes of Whaling Lack Logic." The Japan
Times. 8 November 1994: 16.
Yonezawa, Kunio. "Maintaining IWC Membership is in Japan's
Interest." The Japan Times. 9 November 1994: 17.
Okajima, Shigeyuki. ed. Kujira-Ronsou! (Controversy on
Whaling.) lwanami-Shoten. 1993: Sakurai, Junko. 19-32.
Obara, Hideo. 45-57.
