Japan's whaling future

In these COVID-19 times, the global focus on the pandemic appears to be relentless. We occasionally have to remind ourselves that the world's far, far bigger than what the headlines proclaim day in, day out. The Asia Society Switzerland is one organization I'm grateful for, as they give me opportunities to discover more of the world. While learning new things is always valuable, such webinars are even more of a gift in this time.

The topic wasn't exactly a feel-good one, mind you. It was about whaling in Japan, a topic that has been headline material many times in the past and one that will continue to be intensely controversial. The webinar featured Dr. Fynn Holm of the University of Zurich, who had just recently finished his thesis entitled, "Living with the Gods of the Sea: Anti-Whaling Movements in Northeast Japan, 1600-1912." He has studied traditional and contemporary whaling in Japan’s whaling towns over the course of past five years. During that time, he spent time with local whaling communities, interviewed politicians and representatives from anti-whaling movements.

Watch the recording of the webcast on Facebook

Just a few weeks ago, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) met for the first time without Japan as a member. The reason: Japan's decision to take up commercial whaling again. Why would Japan take that path? It's certainly not for economic reasons. As Dr. Holm explained, when it comes to employment – whaling offers roughly the same amount of jobs as does whale watching – and whale watching generates more revenue. What's maybe even more startling is that Japanese people, while they eat 24.6 kilos of fish per person and year, consume a mere 50 grams of whale meat per person and year … so why does Japan engage in controversial whale hunting?

Taking a step back into history: Whaling has a long history in Japan, but large-scale whaling in Japan began in the the late 19th century, at a time when many counties did the same. In the first half of the 20th century, whaling was, from an economic point of view, a success story for Japan and other whaling nations. As early as 1925 the League of Nations called for conservation measures and by 1934 the Geneva Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was in place – and was ignored by Japan and Germany. WWII turned the world upside down in countless ways – and it had, of course, also a massive impact on whaling. Whaling ships had been commandeered by the Navy and, by the end of the war, most whale catchers and factory ships had been sunk. After the war, General Douglas MacArthur, acknowledged food shortages in Japan and gave permission to continue whaling. It was a pragmatic decision – it was a cheap source of meat and people were starving.

This moment was, according to Dr. Holm, a moment in time when whale meat really became a pervasive part of Japanese culture. It became known as a nationwide food source and, according to Wikipedia, more than 50% of the meat consumed in Japan in 1947 was whale meat. It was whale meat that became associated with recovery – it was also whale meat that became a pervasive part of what it meant to be a child. The Japanese government, in the 1950s, mandated whale meat as part of elementary and middle school nutrition.

Japan joined the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1951, just two years after its formation. Why would they do that, one might ask? As Dr. Holm explained, Japan, after the war, did everything possible to reintroduce itself as reliable partner in international organizations. At the time they were still seen as an aggressor, and not yet permitted to join the United Nations. Whaling continued, by Japan and other whaling nations, and it wasn't until 1982 that a moratorium on whaling came about. Still, the killing of whales continued under the guise of research. 

For Dr. Holm, learning about whaling meant not just studying the matter, it meant being there, and it meant eating whale meat. In the webinar he told the audience that this was a prerequisite for any conversation with whalers. Once whale meat had been eaten, one was considered bona fide. Just as this example illustrates, Holm's research has shown that, today, whaling is pretty much purely emotional – there is no longer a rational reason for whaling – but it is steeped in culture, in memory, in history. Holm shared that most younger people in Japan are not interested in whale meat. But when it comes to criticizing Japan for whaling, then it's about the criticizing, and not the whaling. It then becomes a unifying element in that many agree that the West cannot tell Japan what to do and not do – and what to eat or not eat. And so, Dr. Holm said, Japanese people are not per se "pro whaling" – but they are against anti-whaling. As for Japan itself, there's apparently far less anti-whaling activism, compared to the rest of the world. In Japanese politics, even opposition parties are pro whaling.

Dr. Holm concluded his talk by summarizing that whaling might continue to work on a micro level, but that he doesn't believe that, on a macro level, whaling will come back. Holm suggests that there may be no more Japanese whaling in ten to fifteen years – economically, ending whaling will have barely an impact – and emotionally, Japan can then say that they did what they did on their own terms, in their own time, and based on their own decisions.