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Library

REVIEW: Whales and the Japanese

Whales and the Japanese by Masayuki Komatsu & Shigeko Misaki

This book sets out the views and arguments, which Japan has been voicing for the past decade or more on the injustice it feels over the ban on commercial whaling (the moratorium), imposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since the 1986 season.

The main focus of the concerns expressed are the long tradition of hunting whales in Japanese coastal waters and the full utilisation of cetaceans by Japan, chiefly as food. There is a heavy emphasis on the fact that it was the western nations which caused the major depletion of the whale stocks in earlier years, and it is mainly these nations that are now preventing Japan from continuing its whaling activities.

These views have been expressed repeatedly in meetings of the IWC and other international fora, where Masayuki Komatsu has been a major speaker, with Shigeko Misaki assisting in the Japanese delegation. There has to be considerable sympathy for the coastal communities so severely impacted by the loss of employment and trade resulting from the moratorium, and the consequent devastation of those societies. However, the issues are not nearly so clear-cut as the authors imply. There is genuine scientific uncertainty over the status and trends of some of the principal whale stocks in the world. The rates of increase of these stocks with the cessation of commercial whaling, and the recovery of the most depleted, are not so simply calculated as suggested. Also, the role of whales in the marine ecosystems and their predation on and consumption of fish that are the object of direct human fisheries are by no means so well established as presumed.

The effect of these doubts about the numbers of whales, their sustainable yields, and the possible impact of reducing certain species and stocks of whales to increase fish resources, all weaken the Japanese case as presented. Nevertheless, Japan can rightly feel unjustly treated by the IWC and the world community for the delay in consideration of the promised consideration of a review of the moratorium decision, as well as the adverse publicity promoted by the strong and very effective anti-whaling lobby of Non-Governmental Organisations which identify Japan as the culprit in the case.

There is an especially interesting section in the book on the historical background to Japanese whaling from pre-historic times, through the 17th century developments, and up to the present. The research work carried out by Japan on whales is explained, and the events and negative attitudes of many governments in the IWC to this research are set out. The final plea is one of respect for Japan's whaling traditions and culture in the context of the wise and sustainable use of all the world's natural resources.

Overall, this is a commendable effort to bring together a number of elements to justify the Japanese case for a resumption of commercial whaling. It is unfortunate that several of the arguments used, and the interpretation of the history of the IWC, are open to reasonable questioning. There is some repetition of the material employed, some errors of fact (e.g., the voting majority needed to amend the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling is three-quarters, not two-thirds), and the English editing could be improved in places.

Dr. Ray Gambell, former Secretary of the International Whaling Commission.

To order a copy please contact the WCW secretariat at: wcw@island.net