Japan will dispatch a whaling fleet to the Antarctic on Tuesday after a one year suspension, the government said, defying international criticism and a UN legal ruling that the "research" expedition is a commercial hunt in disguise.
"The research ships will depart for new whale research in the Antarctic on December 1, 2015," the Fisheries Agency said Monday in a statement on its website.
Tokyo has for years come under intense global pressure to stop hunts that opponents decry as inhumane but that Japan says are an inherent part of its traditional culture.
The United Nations' top legal body judged last year that Japan's so-called scientific whaling activity in the Southern Ocean was a disguise for commercial hunts.
It's for scientific research. Tasty, tasty research.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday December 01 2015, @09:52AM
I'd say their little boats have worked remarkably well in the past. They've hindered whaling operations and saved whale lives.
Furthermore, the fact that we are even having this conversation is due in large part to the fact that Greenpeace's efforts have put whaling into the public consciousness and onto the international agenda.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by niceholejohnson on Tuesday December 01 2015, @01:13PM
whale lives
Who cares? Nobody, that's who.
Whales are insignificant, much like you.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday December 01 2015, @02:36PM
Cute. You get the dignity of a response because at least you aren't trolling under AC.
If nobody cares, why is it being reported by every major news organisation in world?
Or is it that when you say "nobody" you actually mean "not me", because in your sad little head you are the only person in the world who matters?
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 01 2015, @02:52PM
You are the sad moron supporting greenpeace jihaddis. You and your buddies at greeenpeace and peta deserve to rot at the bottom of ocean.
(Score: 2) by kurenai.tsubasa on Tuesday December 01 2015, @11:45PM
That's all fine and dandy to say until a giant O'Neill cylinder piloted by space whales deploys a giant soccer ball-looking radome and wrecks your day!
(Score: 4, Funny) by bryan on Tuesday December 01 2015, @05:40PM
Personally, I'd recommend using a Klingon Bird of Prey [wikia.com].