Whale-intentioned boycotts won’t deliver results Snubbing exports won't save the whales By Dominic Harvey-Taylor
Protesters are calling for boycotts
the research program under Article VIII
following
of the International Convention for the
Japan’s
exit
from
the
International Whaling Commission and
Regulation of Whaling (ICRW).
return to commercial whaling, but there are more effective measures,
In 2014, the International Court of
Dominic Harvey-Taylor writes.
Justice (ICJ) found that Japan’s permits were not in fact granted for purposes
“Until now research was the main
of scientific research pursuant to the
object… We can prioritise the quality
IWCR. In response, Japan ended its
now. We will process the meat so it
initial scientific whaling program, then
retains its quality and do the bare
started up another program which was
minimum of research”, stated Konomu
largely similar to the first.
Kubo, a spokesperson for Kyodo Senpaku (Japan’s only offshore whaling
Ultimately at the end of 2018, Japan
company) in an interview earlier this
made a failed bid to lift the ban on
year.
commercial whaling, and decided to quit the IWC in order to resume
In 1982, the International Whaling
whaling,
Commission
organisation.
(IWC)
placed
a
unimpeded
by
the
moratorium on commercial whaling. For some time, Japan has been able to
Japan’s return to commercial whaling
get around the ban through ‘special
has sparked a number of online
permit‘ whaling, claiming that its
petitions, with many calling for a
program is principally for scientific
boycott of Japan.
research. Some petitions advocate boycotting Japan has been able to sell its excess
specific Japanese companies, others
whale meat for public consumption
suggest a boycott of the Tokyo 2020
since, ostensibly to avoid wastage from
Olympics, while others generally call 7
