A Message from the People of Taiji, Japan

[centrajapan]

The Village of Taiji, where we live is located on the southern part of the Japanese archipelago at the tip of the peninsula which extends into the Pacific Ocean. Steep mountains which are covered with dense forests come to the shoreline and fall sharply into the ocean. With flat land suitable for farming being so limited, the people of Taiji must depend on the resources available from the sea. As far back as our knowledge of history can tell, the people of Taiji have been catching a variety of whales. For people without farming, whales have been an important source of food as well as commodity for exchange to obtain rice and vegetables from the farmers. Particularly, since the 17th century when Yorimoto Wada and Yoriharu Wada, the well-respected founding fathers of Taiji Kujiri Gumi (Taiji Whaling Group), invented net whaling, whaling has become the most important subsistence activity and industry for villagers. This has continued into the modern period after Japan opened its doors to the west. Whaling is the very activity we have learned from our ancestors and lived by for many generations.

Because of those historical reasons, we consider ourselves to be "a whaling people." We are proud of our own heritage and want to hand it down to the next generations. Thus, it was a traumatic experience that our values were attacked fiercely by western environmentalists and animal right activists, and the International Whaling Commission (IWC) mercilessly forced us to stop whaling. The impact of the whaling ban has been tremendous. Many villagers lost their proud occupations and important means of livelihood, and wounds and scars were made in the heart of many men and women.

No matter how viciously the environmentalists and animal right activists condemn us, we will not give up whaling. We simply cannot do that, because it would mean to us not only a significant economic loss but also a loss of our pride and the unique culture of our own. A small village like Taiji would be wiped out completely by the massive forces of industrialization and commercialization without a pride for its own heritage and a strong sense of community identity.

Although Japan is one of the world's most advanced industrialized nations, there are a number of small communities which are still dependent on traditional subsistence activities based on natural resources and maintain traditional values which contrast sharply with the increasing influence of urban and western values. Taiji is one such community, and we want it to remain that way and we are trying so hard for that.

We believe our views on nature and its utilization, which have been accumulated and nurtured by generations of experience right here in Taiji, are not only valuable for ourselves but potentially for many other coastal peoples who suffer from environmental deterioration caused by mishandling of the nature. Humans, the greatest predator on earth, need wisdom and technology tested by generations of experience in order to live in harmony with the nature. The nature is so diversified that our approaches to the nature need to be diversified. We should try to understand and respect unique adaptive values of the individual cultures in their own environment, and try to utilize and protect the nature rationally by making full use of those diversified cultures. Cultural imperialism which some western environmentalist are promoting, either knowingly or unknowingly, is harmful to both people and nature.

We are sure that the same view is shared by Alaskan Eskimos, Faroese, Greenlanders, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Russians in Chukotka as well. We hope many environmentally concerned people in the industrialized nations will understand our views and trust us as rational and humane people, and stop making whaling a "scape goat" of the environmental crusade and making inhumane attacks on whaling people. Cultural diversity is just as important as biological diversity in order to protect the earth's environment. After all, it is only a diversified people who can really take tender care of a diversified nature and make truly rational and orderly use of it.

We people of Taiji need whaling and we have a right and a good reason to continue whaling. We hope our position is well understood by all the participants of the IWC meeting, and rational actions will be taken by the Commission. We urge the Commissioners to sincerely respond to our humble request of interim allocation of 50 minke whales to alleviate our distress caused by the unreasonable and unjustified moratorium since 1988 for four small coastal whaling communities including Taiji.

S. Hamanaka, Mayor and The People of Taiji

http://www.furcommission.com/resource/perspect3.htm

[Uncle Frank]

Do any of them hunt from the old row boats and throw the spear by hand anymore? It would seem like that would be a great tradition to carry on and have pride when you bought in a whale that way.

Uncle Frank

[kame]

Originally Posted by Uncle Frank

Do any of them hunt from the old row boats and throw the spear by hand anymore? It would seem like that would be a great tradition to carry on and have pride when you bought in a whale that way.
Uncle Frank

I don't think so. That would be considered an inhumane way of hunting by anti-whaling nations.

[centrajapan]

Hardly, if any use rowing boats to hunt whales these days. No culture is static. Including the whaling culture. It should be up to the people of the culture to decide how their own unique culture should evolve and not some outsider new age hippie cultural imperialist.

[Uncle Frank]

They kill about 800 Minke whales a year with the explosive penthrite grenade harpoons. Guess no hippy taught them, LOL.

Uncle Frank

[Chi65]

I think, if some would just kill some for own use, it would be alright, but since its dependant on a much larger scale, and will accordingly grow, if let, its a very critical issue and should be watched on a larger scale too.

Sometimes something reaches the border of acceptances, and then it has to change, no matter, where and what.

That would be reasonable and carefull, not a point of keeping a tradition under all circumstances. As sorry as I am for them, and thats not just a word.

What is worn out, is worn out. They must find new ways for a living.

[centrajapan]

What should they eat instead of eating whale meat which is the most eco friendly meat there is?

The ban which is on the people of Taiji has no shred of scientific justification as minke whales are not an endagered spiecies.

[Glenski]

Originally Posted by centrajapan

It should be up to the people of the culture to decide how their own unique culture should evolve and not some outsider new age hippie cultural imperialist.

I thought the International Whaling Commission was... well... international, not just one "imperialistic" culture.

You said it yourself. Culture changes. Taiji should change. What should they eat? Tofu. No killing of any animals there! Oh, but then again, you'd have to deal with those pesky imperialists because 95% of soybeans in Japan are imported...

[centrajapan]

Banning a people from eating whales because the pesky imperialists look at minke whales as the second coming of Jesus Christ is flat out imperialism. Unless you support imperialism I guess there is nothing wrong in denying the people of Taiji to stop eating non endangered eco friendly minke whales.

But the Indians can eat whales right because they are indegenous?

[centrajapan]

No culture is static and it is not some pesky outsider who should dictate how the people of Taiji should live but the people of Taiji themselves. If there are enough minke whales and if people inTaiji are happy about eating minke whales then there are no legitimate reaon for not allowing them to eat whatever they please unless you believe in imperialism which I suspect of you doing which is a shocker to say the least.

[kame]

Originally Posted by Glenski

Culture changes. Taiji should change. What should they eat? Tofu. No killing of any animals there! Oh, but then again, you'd have to deal with those pesky imperialists because 95% of soybeans in Japan are imported...

That smells like words of racism to me. You should tell that to everybody who whales, including the Inuits.

And it's true, 95% of soybeans in Japan are imported. That makes it whaling all the more important (though more symbolically than practically) from the perspective of self-sustainance of the Japanese diet. Taking away what someone has had for centuries (without rational reasons) and telling them to change won't accelerate the change you want.

I am convinced that the whale-eating culture in Japan will change (to a much smaller scale) if left alone but recent external pressures (and insensitive comments prevalent in this forum) have only served to kindle the urges of many Japanese to get a taste of the meat that they haven't had in years. Heck, I will definitely find some to eat next time I return to Japan.

[Chi65]

Well, my daughter is a vegetarian and also survives.
And if there are whales, there also must be other fish to eat.
And if there is much wood, there may also be other meat available, if they so want to eat meat, be it from fish or not.
Not to mention, that also in woods there lays a living, if handled with care, as many others managed in Japan and elsewhere.
Time for a change maybe?

[centrajapan]

Are you a vegeterian? Did someone force your daughter to be a vegeterian? I suspect your daughter became vegeterian because of her will and not because she was forced to be one. There is a big difference in that.

If your daughter is vegeterian I also suspect she does not use leather sneakers. All that is OK. The problem is that if she starts to deny other people using leather sneakers and deny other people to eat sausage because of her own personal reasons. Thats when you cross the line and becomes an ugly form of discrimination and imperialism.

[Sarapva]

Originally Posted by Uncle Frank

They kill about 800 Minke whales a year with the explosive penthrite grenade harpoons. Guess no hippy taught them, LOL.
Uncle Frank

Is this the new weapon that kills whales more quickly? Does anyone know any more about this?

[Chi65]

Originally Posted by centrajapan

Are you a vegeterian? Did someone force your daughter to be a vegeterian? I suspect your daughter became vegeterian because of her will and not because she was forced to be one. There is a big difference in that.
If your daughter is vegeterian I also suspect she does not use leather sneakers. All that is OK. The problem is that if she starts to deny other people using leather sneakers and deny other people to eat sausage because of her own personal reasons. Thats when you cross the line and becomes an ugly form of discrimination and imperialism.

My daughter is because of Chernobyl and since then. That was surely forced for her, but she kept it up since, because of more reasons.
I was also often forced to change something in my life, but also agreed later on, that it was the time to do so.
I would not force others though, if not absolutely necessary (amongst which is for example to move out, when uncooperative and disbehaving continuously, but only after long waitings and working for a better way), but would suggest to think it over, thats all.

I continuously see this "imperialism" statement, isn't it maybe a fixed idea?

I was in Japan few times and always ivited and trying to understand and as openminded as possible. And I had several wonderfull Japanese visitors here too, and partly organised their contacts, to hear, what they have to say. No side felt ever discriminated, by the way, in contrary.

I am only friendly suggesting. Its up to you.

[centrajapan]

To Sarapva. You are a vegeterian who disrespect other cultures. Well I think thats your stance. It has been fun exchanging views and opinions with you. Though I do not agree with your views and it is hard for me to even respect your views nevertheless you are entitled to have your views and opinions.

As for other people. Unless one completely rejects that we have the right to kill animals in order to produce human needs be it leather for your shoes, meat etc...there are no significant arguments against harvest of whales...as far as double standards are concerned. People cannot attack other peoples on the basis of principles which themselves cannot or will not live up to. This makes countries like USA, UK, Australia, New Zeland, and all the IWC members and meat eaters and who wear leather shoes who vote against Japan on whaling a bunch of hypocrits.

Is this the new weapon that kills whales more quickly? Does anyone know any more about this?

There are different types of whales so there are different ways of hunting whales. In the early 80s IWC banned the use of cold harpoons. I think about 50% die right away but the average is 1 to 2 minutes. Harpoons explode. Its like a small bomb.

If you compare that to any other types of wild animal hunt be it the deer hunt or the infamous Kangaroo Holocaust these numbers are very good given that Australia does not even keep a track record at all for the time it takes to massacre kangaroos.

In whaling you have 2 types of whales. IWC whales and non IWC whales. The Minke whale is an IWC whale. The pilot whale is not an IWC whale.

In Taiji people are denied to hunt minke whales but not pilot whales.

While they use harpoons to hunt minke whales in pilot whales they drive the school to shore and beach them then kill them with a speacial whale knife.

[Chi65]

Interesting, that you ignored all the other suggestions. . .

[centrajapan]

What is there to ignore? You say it is a suggestion right? The people in Taiji don't have the right to choose and you seem to be fine with that. A very cold hearted person in my views. You deny people to choose their own destiny. This is imperialism.

Btw. What kind of shoes do you use? Do you eat meat?

[Chi65]

Sorry, plain projections and aggressive "answers" are not worth any more posts from me.

[centrajapan]

Is it aggressive to ask what kind of shoes you use and what you eat? Uhhm. OK. I try hard to understand. But I don't undertsnad how that is being aggressive.

[senseiman]

The imperialism argument is idiotic. Japan is the second largest economy in the world. It has VOLUNTARILY bound itself to the international whaling commission, nobody is forcing it to do anything.

Oh, and Taiji has a population of slightly over 3,000 people. Japan kills about 800 whales per year, which would be about one for every 4 people in Taiji. You'd think that would be more than enough.

[centrajapan]

You seem to miss the point completely. IWC members sign a declaration VOLUNTARILY to do what is the best for the whaling industry. But they do not because they regard whales as special animals. That is imperialism. And it is not idiotic but right. Just because whel oil is out fashion does not give them the right to deny others to eat ecological whale meat.

It also is imperialism because they let the poor Inuits hunt whales but not Japanese because they are not poor enough. That too is an imperialistic mind set.

It also is imperialistic to think that the people of Taiji should not be able to sell whales to other parts of Japan like they have for thousands of years due to Anglo Saxons looking at whales as some floating sacred cows.

[Sarapva]

Originally Posted by centrajapan

This makes countries like USA, UK, Australia, New Zeland, and all the IWC members and meat eaters and who wear leather shoes who vote against Japan on whaling a bunch of hypocrits.

I guess this covers about everyone in the world except you and maybe a few others(?).

[centrajapan]

Nah. Its about 50-50. 50% are rational and believe in utlizing in a sustainable manner a natural renewable natural resource the rest like the Anglo Saxon countries are practicing severe cultural imperialism by disrespecting other people's cultures.


The IWC soap opera is good entertainment. I am pro rational sustainable use of renweable natural resources.

Norway and Japan are the 2 most active pro whaling countries. Denmark is also pro whaling. Together we wipe everyone off the table with rational well thought out arguments together with the Native Americans.

[Sarapva]

I guess I must belong to the irrational side, then.