I don't think it has anything to do with money. It is a cultural thing. In parts of Japan whale has been a common staple. I am not sure what "money" you are talking about.

MMM: I believe this poster is talking about the money made when selling the meat or other porducts made from the whale.

Still, fepony, MMM is correct, it's more of a cultural thing than anything else. Yes, there is money involved, but it's about the tradition, and the sentiment behind that. I believe the Japanese know the risks involved-- including, but no limited to, the edangered species of whales, and the lawful risks-- I don't believe they'd do such a thing blindly. Culture is quite important in Japan, and it means a lot to its people, that includes whaling. I'm not a fan of it, myself, but I do have the ability to see their side of it.

Also, if you have so much anger with the Japanese culture, why did you join here? Just to flame?

~HonoraryJapaneseGirl~

I'm a moderator, but I don't know what that has to do with anything. I think you misunderstood what I said.

I said: people who think that everyone should love Japan, no matter what, are generally narrow minded. There are people on Japan Forum that love aspects of Japan, but are still able to keep a level head about things they don't like about it.

Just because you like Japanese culture doesn't mean you have to agree with whaling. It is only one teeny tiny aspect of a very large culture.

(Not that I'm defending this guy or anything, lol.)

Yeah, I don't like whaling, either, but I just can't help wonder what else this guy is gonna go off on, you know? =.=' Lol...and it's no problem, MissMisa.

Is whale meat really a staple in some areas???

I had it a couple of times (I had whale sashimi, too) and it was mediocre at best. If I can go beyond the moral and political stuff, it just doesn't taste that great haha.

I heard they used to serve it in school lunches and stuff like that... so maybe people built up a taste for it that way-- you gotta imagine how whale meat got into public school lunches to begin with though. I think that was after some deals were done so it does seem a little shady.

I really don't have a stance on this one way or the other... except that it's hard to justify on taste alone.

If it is a cultural thing then why do they not just do whaling in traditional whaling areas around the coast of Japan? Modern whaling using factory ships did not start in Japan until around the 1930's so let's not talk BS that the modern whaling fleets that head down to Antarctica have anything whatsoever to do with some long lasting traditional heritage of the Japanese.
I certainly don't think it's just about money either though. As I said previously the industry only currently survives due to government subsidies. The government has attempted to stimulate the industry by bringing whale back on the diet in many schools but the actual commercial demand for whale is very limited and certainly doesn't justify the current size of the catch they take each year. But of course you need to kill over 800 whales a year to further scienftific research! :confused:

I have nothing against whaling as part of a traditional and cultural practice like that done by the Inuit in Canada. It is carried out within traditional hunting grounds and often using traditional methods. It is not done on a large commercial scale in some far away ocean for reasons that are little more than laughable.