Japan launches controversial whaling ship in bid to ‘boost demand’ for whale meat, amid criticism from conservationists
- The nearly 9,300-tonne Kangei Maru set sail on its maiden hunting voyage on Tuesday, heralding a new era for the controversial practice
- Besides scientific research, Tokyo says that eating whale meat is part of Japanese culture and an issue of ‘food security’ in the resource-poor country
The chef fires up the grill and bastes a chunky whale steak, a Japanese delicacy that could soon appear on more plates nationwide as a new whaling mother ship sets sail, despite criticism from conservationists.
Fatty raw pink-and-white whale meat is also on the menu at Nisshinmaru, a restaurant named after Japan’s previous huge vessel for catching the marine mammals, now retired after three decades at sea.
The last mother ship was aggressively pursued in the Antarctic by activists determined to disrupt operations, but Japan has built an even bigger boat to replace it.
The brand-new, nearly 9,300-tonne lead vessel for Japan’s whaling flotilla departed Tuesday on its maiden hunt – heralding a new era for an industry defended by the government as an integral part of Japanese culture.
Called the Kangei Maru, the ship has “an in-house processing facility where the meat is processed before being refrigerated”, explained Ryosuke Oba, the restaurant’s manager.
“This ship is like a factory. That’s its most attractive feature,” he said in the city of Shimonoseki, which has a long history of whaling.