The species is on the verge of extinction. For Whale Meat Japan officially gave up commercial whaling after an international ban in 1986. The International Whaling Commission rule is that whales may be killed only if they are being used for research. The Japanese claim they kill the whales to learn more about their eating habits. Once the research is done, the meat is sold for food.
Activists say the research is just an excuse to kill whales for meat.
Whaling is a part of Japanese culture that goes back many centuries. It became especially common during World War II, when food was in short supply. People ate whale meat instead of beef or chicken. She remembers only the deep-fried version she had been served in her school lunches. Three sperm whales swim together.