Amid all the controversy surrounding Japan’s whale hunting programme – which of course is for research purposes only – restaurant chain Lucky Pierrot last week made the mammoth mammal part of its regular menu. A company official stating that the eatery was merely utilizing stock obtained for study purposes.
The hunting of whales is usually defended in Japan by claims that it is traditional, and Lucky Pierrot spokesperson Miku Oh followed a well worn path by saying, “People in other countries may think eating whale is strange, but it is our culture.” However part of the culture or not, the divisive delicacy is presumably not the most scrumptious and sweet smelling of foodstuffs, as Oh-san was quick to point out that it is cooked in such a way that, “it tastes like beef and tuna, and since it is deep fried, it has no odour.”
The latter point especially could lead many opponents of whaling to suggest that simply eating beef or tuna instead would be a whole lot easier – and far less trouble. Yet such a proposition would presumably fall foul of the aforementioned ‘it’s traditional’ argument.
A point clearly emphasised by Lucky Pierrot and its decision to serve whale in that time-honoured Japanese dish – the burger.
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Tradition, culture, science. Bollocks – Jonathan Head captured it very nicely in his article for the BBC, earlier this month. Basically, the real issue is that the Japanese don’t like being told what to do by other people, no matter how morally outrageous their actions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4106688.stm
Disappointing.
Sick, sad, world….
I think it’s alright for tradition to be a reason, but not an excuse. Which it’s clearly being used as here.
Couldn’t other countries have just as much claim to a whaling tradition as Japan? The US has a whaling tradition too (Moby Dick!). If every country with a whaling tradition contiued the tradition like Japan, then there would simply be no whales. It’s not like they use particularly traditional techniques either. If I understand correctly, its a completely modern whaling system.
OTOH I see the other side of the story as well. If say the Hindus who think cows are holy demanded that we stop eating them, we’d probably tell them to mind their own business. Different cultures place different animals in different categories of what is acceptable. In the West we don’t typically east dogs, cats or whales, but we do eat animals.
fuck you all westeners. seriously, their intellect level must be really low. i’d eat that burger and all other whale meat – throwing away a dead whale, which is still worth 5 tons of meat? that’s sin!
Eating semi-sentients is nasty. Tradition is no excuse. There’s no need to kill so many of these animals for “science”… and what gives Japan the right to whale while others don’t get to do the same? Besides, whales are full of dioxins and mercury. You shouldn’t eat that junk, it’ll give you cancer. This isn’t the 18th century anymore.
I don’t mean to interrupt this Eco-Political Debate, but if they are trying to promote “Whale Burgers” couldn’t they have gotten a better picture? I mean that thing looks more like road kill in a bun to me.
And my 2 copper pieces on the subject:
Though I understand what Z is trying to say about wasting food when there are people starving out there. It has been proven that the so-called “Scientific” tests that the Japanese are performing can be done with more accurate results using skin samples without killing the whale. Therefore there shouldn’t have been any dead whale to waste to begin with. The Japanese Government however is using its “Scientific” loophole as Colin suggested and as Jonathan Head put it “as an opportunity for Japan to be seen to be standing up to pressure from other developed countries.”
And about “Tradition” being used as an excuse. There have been many traditions among many cultures that they themselves are embarrassed to speak of. Like Female Circumcision, Salem Witch hunts, Cannibalism and one of the oldest traditions dating back thousands of years… Slavery.
Its is the responsibility of each generation to know the culture of its predecessors, to learn & understand their traditions and be wise enough to be able to value the ones that give strength of character and put to rest the one which have out lived their time.
Well I guess that was more than just 2 coppers… oh well.
You, bunch of hypocrits, don’t you eat cow, pig or chicken????? Do you think that these animals volunteered to be eaten??? I like to eat porc, the Japanese like to eat whale. So, let them!
So, have you ever seen a whale farm? Then who’s hypocrite?
“You bunch of hypocrits, don’t you eat cow,pig or chicken?????”
Yea! There are farmers that grow them, idiot! Whales happen by chance, nobody cares, feeds, houses, nutures them. They serve a purpose on this planet, something the humans don’t! What is it we provide to this world? WASTE! GOBS OF IT! BILLIONS OF ACRES OF IT! Then we go on the web and post our indignation at someone eating a bovine burger! Your all nuts!
That’s awesome. I think we should eat our way to animal extinction. First start with those oh so tasty whales, move on along to sharks, and then to whatever other species is trying not to go extinct. This isn’t about tradition and being a meat eater, this is about leaving alone endangered populations to heal. Damnit.
obviously dont eat whales, thats just stupid.
wat if a whale was able to kill us and turn us into a burger how would u feel about the topic then
Lucky Pierrot spokesperson Miku Oh followed a well worn path by saying, “People in other countries may think eating whale is strange, but it is our culture.” So was/is killing girl children as far as I know. Do you still do it?
MO said it well..clitoris chopoff, witch burning, don’t forget bear baiting, dog, cock, badger, etc fighting, all pondscum activities. Think they still think it’s fun to stab bulls in Espaniaola too, but civilised people grow away from barbarism, obviously Japs are not civilised. Vegan I am.
check this out
http://www.savefile.com/files.php?fid=1819873
Warning it is graphic with whale slaughter
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
wtf whaling is so dumb bro’s japanese people are so dumb us here in ausralia could say oh wait a minute lets eat elephants lets kill 8000 a year come lets break our quota.
way to dumb japanese research my ass
Man where can i get one of those in tokyo?