[Troo]

I've not eaten whale meat, but I would do so if the restaurant were reputable (i.e. the meat sourced legally).

Japan has very strict quotas, and very strict laws on which whales can and cannot be hunted. Obviously there are unscrupulous people who'll kill and sell anything if it'll make them some money, but I don't think it's fair to blame all of Japan for the actions of a few greedy people, just as it's not fair to blame all of Korea for the illegal fishing and smuggling of endangered marine molluscs into Australia perpetrated by a few selfish men with a boat.