Time to debunk the pretense of Japan's So-called"Scientific" Whaling?
Consider it well and truly debunked!
Crafting public opinion to fit fisheries policy
"As so often happens in Japan, the bureaucrats have formulated policy, and now they must garner some semblance of public support or acquiescence. The fact that they attempt to equate having "eaten whale meat" with "support" for commercial whaling is a testament to the difficulty of their task -- and the yawning gap between the opinions of the Fisheries Agency and the people." Stephen Hesse
From The Japan Times Online
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fe20020509sh.htm
Scientists petition Japan to lay down harpoons
"By continuing to fund and carry out this program, Japan opens itself to serious charges that it is using the pretense of scientific research to evade its commitments to the world community. As scientists, we believe this compromises objective decision-making and undermines public confidence in the role of science to guide policy. Accordingly, we respectfully urge the Japanese government to suspend its "scientific whaling" program." 21 eminent (real) scientists
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fe20020523sh.htm
From The Japan Times Online
Eating
whales could seriously damage your health.
News of Toxicity in Whale and Dolphin Meat.
"One sample of dolphin meat labeled as whale contained 500 times more mercury than Japan's health advisory limit." Dr. Palumbi (Scientist at Harvard University )
"....certainly no pregnant woman or children should be eating this stuff. It's an important message for the government to get out." Theo Colborn, a World Wildlife Fund specialist in contaminants