Reason Why Japan Should Stop Its Whaling Operations in the Pacific.

Whaling is a old-century industry and known began as human need for whale meat and oils . Japanese whaling is conducted in both pelagic (open-ocean) areas in the North Pacific Ocean and the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. Japan abandoned its whale hunt for the first time in four years since 2007 and saying that clashes between its fleet and protesters in SeaShepherd ship in the Southern Ocean had threatened the lives of the whalers. But for whales fighter it is one step of stopping Japans whaling activities. Japan whaling activities are endangering the whales population in the ocean. This essay will show why Japan should stop its whaling operations due to endangered marine species, consider about the taxpayers and the strong objections from many countries. Japans Whaling may have begun as early as the 12th century. Whaling refers to hunting whales using harpoon gun fired from a power-driven catcher boat but then they start using modern whaling techniques from Norway in 1897. The Japanese whaling was around the nearby coastal waters spread to south of Taiwan then to north in Kurils ( Kodansha : Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan volume 8, 1983, p. 249 ). It then extended in Antarctic and to Pacific Ocean , Japan sent their factory-ship whaling ships for the whaling activities there. In 1946 the International Whaling Commission was established and it limited the whale hunting for every country and controlled by the whale industry. But then, they set a worldwide law against hunting whales with only two exceptions, the hunt for scientific research or "aboriginal whaling." Japan continued to hunt whales using the scientific research provision in the agreement. Greenpeace saw Japans whaling for research purpose is a fake and the whaling is actually for economy purpose. It is because the meat from scientific whale hunts is then sold in shops and restaurants. But Japan claim all the money is saved and spend for the next voyage, including the fuel, maintenance of the vessels and equipments for the research. Japan accused Greenpeace activists as terrorists because of clashes between its fleet and the Sea Shepherd in the Southern Ocean where they always hunt the whales. They claim that the protesters were dangerous and acted unlawfully.

Japanese should stop their whaling because it may harm the marine eco-system and may lead to extinction of the whales species. It is because whalers are targeting on great whale such as northern right whale and southern right whale. The commercial whaling era have killed millions of whales and turn them to variety of dish and oil resources. During the era of whaling the primary product are include the whale meat, whale oil and meat extract which later turn into secondary products and tertiary products such as Sarashikujira, a meal which the tail flukes are cut thin and slightly scalded with hot steaming water. Most of Japanese are following Buddhism doctrine

which forbade eating four-footed beast thus whale that considered as fish became an important of protein source. Even some of the species are recover from the whaling industry since early 1990s such as California gray whale that legally protected since 1946 have astonishing comeback but many other whale species still endangered until today. Japans Antarctic research was start in 1957 when the Showa Station was established. The whaling for research purpose cause Japanese whaler killed 500 Minke whales, 50 Brydes whale and five sperm whale in 2002. Even they hunt whale for research purpose with minimum number according to quota that allowed by IWC but it is still harm the population of whale. Collisions with ships and entanglement in fishing gear threaten the North Atlantic right whale with extinction, while the critically endangered western North Pacific gray whale is at serious risk because of intensive oil and gas in its feeding ground. According to Reuben B. Ackerman, a senior executive of Boston international and comparative law view, Japans whaling activities was endangered the whales . The SeaWorld Organization have list several types of endangered whale due to whaling activities. The list are including; northern right whale, southern right whale, bowhead whale, blue whale, fin whale, sei whale, humpback whale and sperm whale. Northern right whale was the most endangered species because its population approximate around 500-1000 left. Scientist were trying to develop breeding techniques in zoological parks to preserve small whale from being extinct but this may not enough if whaling is still conduct because more whale dies than breeding every year. Other marine that may harm by whaling activities is dolphin and porpoise. Dolphin are always mistaken as whale because they look similar from surface of the sea. Whale, dolphins and porpoise are different in colour, sound, shape, size and the obvious different can be the whale have baleen but dolphins have teeth while porpoise have a round and long mouth. Both whale and dolphin were move in their own group which easily hurt by the boat and ship engine and by the net that use to catch the whale during the whaling. Besides that, whalers are only focusing on catching and hunting the whale without thinking about other species that may get killed during the process. For the sake of stability of ecosystem, Japanese should stop their whaling so world will facing less endangered species. To most Japanese maybe it is the pride of Japan to continue whaling because it is considered as one of their culture but as time goes by some culture may not suitable to be adapted in life and they should start to care for marine existence especially this whale.

The whaling program in the Southern Ocean costs the Japanese taxpayers 1.2million yen every year, just indirect subsidies without telling its people. Japan present tax system is based on the Shoup Tax recommendations and had been used since early 1950s. The tax resources are come from both national tax and local taxes. National taxes was divided into two main which is general account and special accounts. General accounts consist of direct and indirect taxes. Direct taxes come from personal tax, corporate tax and inheritance tax and gift tax . For indirect taxes, it is

come from liquor, sugar excise, gasoline, petroleum, customs duty, stamp revenue, monopoly profits and many more. For the special accounts it is include local road tax, aviation fuel tax, customs duty on oil and other. According to Tax Bureau from Ministry of Finance in An Outline of Japanese Taxes (annual ) : 1982, income tax shows USD 59,916 ( 39.3% ) meanwhile corporate tax shows USD 47, 804 ( 31.3% ) which prove both income and corporation tax are the major of the Japanese tax system ( Kodansha : Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan volume 7, 1983, p. 354 ). By this amount of income tax and corporate tax its show that direct tax were heavier than indirect tax. For local taxes consist of two part which ordinary taxes and earmarked taxes. Ordinary taxes include prefectural taxes and municipal taxes. Prefectural taxes resources are prefectural inhabitants tax, enterprise tax real property acquisition tax and many more meanwhile municipal taxes resources are electricity tax, gas tax, mineral product tax and others. For earmarked taxes it is include prefectures revenue and cities, towns and village tax revenue. The tax been paid for Japanese welfare such as road constructions. In 2008, Greenpeace activist, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki that known as the Tokyo Two exposed a scandal involving embezzlement entrenched within the taxpayer-funded whaling program a scientific program responsible for slaughtering in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary every year. The Japan government hide the truth behind the curtain of welfare meanwhile some of the tax paid by its people were used to sponsor the whaling activities which is not fair for its people. The Economies and Subsidies of WWF found that Japan provide commercial whales with large number of government subsidies. Dr. Susan Lieberman said in this time of global economic crisis, the use of valuable tax dollars to prop up what is basically an economically unviable industry, is neither strategic, sustainable, nor an appropriate use of limited government funds. It is better for both Japans government and its people to use the tax money for make other research in plantation of more food resource such vegetables and fruits and focusing on welfare concern to make it more beneficial for the social and economic growth.

There were also many countries and international organization object to Japans whaling activities. There has been international concern about whaling since 1931 when an international conference on whaling was held. The anti-whaling countries include Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, France, Finland, Germany and the only Arabian-peninsula country that support of bans whaling, Oman. Japan factory ships and whaling stations was supervised by United States and Soviet Union. The most vocal opponent of Japan's plans is Australia which in 1994, Australia attempted to stop Japan by enforcing an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Australian Antarctic Territory. Australia, however, has no claim to this territory because Antarctica is an internationally recognized zone. Oman is a stronger supporter for International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources and its Sultanate enforces the global hunting of whale species and want the habitat of the species to

be conserve as well. New Zealands government is opposed to hunting whales for food or research while the United Kingdoms government believes that whaling does not serve any genuine need and involves unacceptable cruelty. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972 banned the hunting of marine mammals in United States of America waters and the main objective of the MMPA is to maintain the stability of marine mammal populations and marine ecosystems. In 1946, The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling ( ICRW ) was created in Washington to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and will make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. ICRW led to the creation of the International Whaling Commission ( IWC ) in 1949 and consists of guidelines for the international regulation of coastal and pelagic whaling ( Kodansha : Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan volume 8, 1983, p. 250 ). For international organization especially Greenpeace and World Wildlife Foundation ( WWF ) argues that whales are endangered and must be protected. The environment organization believe that whale are mammals and have the rights as animals to be respect and leave them live to be exists in this world. For Japan, they should be more concern about this issue and take the international views in order to maintain its name in the eyes of other country. A bad impression will effect Japan international relation between the countries because if they didnt take this issue very seriously it may lead to security and economic matter. Japan as a develop country should shows good impression in order to maintain its allies and prevent being targeted by other country as non-friendly environment country due to its whaling activities. Many country had stop their whaling industry such as United States and other Western countries because it is no longer human need for whale meat and oil instead their start take care of it. Japan on their behalf also should stop their whaling activities for avoid more endangered marine species, the people taxpayers concern and because many country and international oppose their whaling. Perhaps it will be a new fresh start for Japan to stop whaling to be more focusing on other industry.