Time for Japan to get real over whale research

IT IS what whale scientists – not to mention conservation groups worldwide – have been saying for years. Now the International Court of Justice has agreed, ruling that Japan's scientific whaling in the Antarctic is not, in fact, terribly scientific (see "

Under the international convention on whaling, science was the only legal reason to hunt whales. Many Japanese survived on whale meat after the second world war, and Japan wanted to keep its harpoon hand in. It became an issue of national pride – no one likes being dictated to by foreign whale-huggers.

The court ruling will allow Japan to stop killing whales without loss of face. It may be relieved to do so, as few Japanese buy whale meat and the hunt soaked up government subsidies.

Now maybe Japan can start doing real whale science. In a warming world, we, and the whales, need it.

This article appeared in print under the headline "Whale science needs you Japan"

• New Scientist


• Not just a website!


• Subscribe to New Scientist and get:


• New Scientist magazine delivered every week


• Unlimited online access to articles from over 500 back issues


• Subscribe Now and Save

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.