[GoNative]

Whaling has very limited cultural history or value except in some fairly specific areas. If you wanted to use the cultural part as justification to continue whaling then why do they not hunt the whales in traditional waters around the Japanese coastline? Why do they hunt the whales in the southern ocean around Antarctica? Is that part of their cultural heritage?
Demand for whale meat is pretty low. From all accounts there are huge stockpiles of frozen whale meat that they struggle to sell. They've tried making it a compulsory part of lunches in many schools but that doesn't seem to have gone down too well. Overall whale it an aquired taste (I've had some) with limited appeal. The industry is heavily subsidised by the government as it is not profitable at all. In my own opinion the government continues to support the industry purely for political reasons and nothing whatsoever to do with scientific or cultural reasons.