Japan is starting on a huge whale hunt

Wow, a liberal stand from you estherlou. Not that I don't agree with you most of the time, and even in this case. Fact is that Japan never signed the no whale hunting treaties. they have continued to hunt whales long after every other nation stopped. They stopped, but never signed the treaty, at least that's the way I've heard it. I'm sorry to hear they are going to do it again.

Well when some giant probe comes to Earth and vaporizes the oceans and atmosphere, at least we can tell Japan, "this is your fault, you know" -_- (props to whoever gets the reference) Now in serious tone. It is sad and without my little quip I'd have been speechless. I just don't get why hunting these whales for scientific research is needed. Its far too many and the reasons leave me unsatisfied.

Yes their claim is that it is for research purpose.Whale hunt was banned some 40 years ago when its numbers dwindled considerably but their claim is that now the population has gone up by 60000 while other agencies claim it to be 40000.What does this mean?An increase in the population is a licence to kill innocent creatures for monetory gain under the guise of research.Japan's recalcitrant attitude rebuffing the calls of environmentalists for the protection of creatures which are at the verge of extinction is not good for it.Hump back whales are listed as vulnerable.They live as communities and a single killing will have a far reaching effect on the survivability of the species.They should have a second thought and refrain from this brutal mass killing.I do agree that one two specimen is required for the research or academic purpose but a preplanned announcement of 50 killings show the impertinence of japan and is to be condemned in strong words.

what in the world would tehy find to do research on whales . Think they just want to have a hunt and for no other reason than to get what ever they get from the whales in the old days. and dont know about international law about hunting but I think it is a same to hunt them for the sake of hunting now I would understand it ,If they were over populated and needed to be thined out.

I do not see how this is going to help with research. This seems to be senseless killing rather than for the better good.

this saddens me and i cannot use your link as i cannot bare to see these acts being carried out. Humpbacks have a hugh intelligence and just because they do not sit up straight at the dinning table does not justify slaughtering their calves. this is mindless murder.

There is nothing scientific about this. It's just a feeble excuse for them to continue to slaughter endangered animals.

That is so sad. Animals are dying in the water because of pollution anyway but to go out and kill them for such a reason is just sad. I thought it was illegal also

I was really upset when I heard about that on the news last night. How could they allow such thing to happen when whales are already almost extinct in this world. I wonder why do they have to kill in the name of scientific research. Can't they just follow them and do the research there?

Japan is hunting whales and the United States plus some allies are hunting humans over seas in what is called war. I do not agree on either of thees buntings. Any time that humans hunt, especially for endangered animals, it saddens me because it makes it that much easier to have that species be no more and then all of the scientific studies will have to be from bones and other remains of the majestic animals.

yes,i also think japan is wrong in starting on a huge whale hunt.they hunt too much whales,and the amount is beyound the use for science research need.there are less whale in the sea,we need to protect them,that is also protecting ourselves.

how is this happening? I though that whale hunting was illegal now a days/ ANd 50 whales seem like an awful lot. for research? what are they researching?

What is wrong with them ..they need to let go of this whales..I hate animal killings. They dont have mercy to this creatures

I hate whale killing!I can't help wondering whether they were killed for scientific research, or how many of those poor whales were made into sushi on the tables?

Another word for 'whale' in Japan is 'yen'.

This should not be allowed. People were up in arms because the New Englanders hunted the Sperm whale for its sperm, and now it is perfectly okay for the Japanese to hunt the humpback and minke whales and fin whales for a scientific whale hunt, because they are Japanese? So I guess it depends on your ethnicity as to what is right. If it is not right for New Englanders to hunt sperm whales, then it is just as wrong to allow Japanese to hunt the other kinds of whales. So they should also allow Americans to hunt whales for food. Makes perfect sense.

If they need whales for scientific research, then they should breed them just for that. Not go out and kill a bunch of wild whales. Besides, I'm bettin' it's not for research at all but for their own benefit...$$$$

What the heck kind of research would require that?!?!? Seeing how the sea water is displaced after the removal of over a thousand whales?? Or discovering the difference in blubber % in individual whales of the same species?? Crazy! How can Greenpeace keep the killing to a minimum if ANY are killed?? They should surround the boats and prevent it any harpoons from flying. They can sail whereever they want, so who says they can't get in the way of a hunting boat?? They should also mandate the killing to a more humane way than a big-a$$ harpoon!! POOPY ON THEM!!!!