Japan Faces an Ultimatum from Australian Prime Minister for Whale Overfishing

Whale meat is just one of the many Japanese delicacies that are either exquisitely luscious, or repulsive, to the rest of us. It all depends on taste preferences. But in Japan, whale meat is already an established institution, never going to change, and is never a shortage. The fact that it isn't a shortage might have called the attention of some, and it all leads down to questioning Japan's scientific/research whaling programs.

Japan's whale research program provided an avenue for collecting data such as statistics of fish consumptions and for concurrent marine related technologies, among other things. Whaling is done in two ways, non-lethal and lethal. Herein, the International Whaling Commission takes primacy to determine whether Japan should put a stop to it already.

Australia, with a very strong emphasis, is one of them.

Are they just eating whales intended for research since they like whale meat, or is it the otherwise? After being subjects to experiments, whales are to be cooked, or the rejected whales are cooked, or what? It's as confusing as it gets, but the sure thing is, Australian nostrils and ears are flaring and smoking right now.

According to the Associated Press this Friday, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd "threatens" the Japanese government that until Japan stops their over whaling programs, Australia is itching to take international legal action before November of 2010, the next whaling season. In which case, Prime Minister Rudd pressures Japan to face an International forum, where Australia would present all of the evidences they have gathered up to this point.

Long before this over whaling issue was brought into public notice, the anti-whaling nation has been monitoring Japanese actions. It has been two years since Australia sent an investigative ship after a Japanese whaling fleet in the Antarctic Ocean, and has successfully returned with purportedly serious evidences.

While everyone would think this issue is a bit trivial, it is not for Australia's marine ecologists and preservation groups, especially that Australia, by itself, is utterly strict against whaling.

Sources;

Whaling.jp
Associated Press | Australia threatens Japan over whaling program