Japan's Restarting of Whale Hunting
In June of 2019, Japan officially announced its withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and restarted commercial whaling after 32 years.
Japan is one of the few countries that still hunts whales.
Whaling has become an industry there.
In addition to being used for food, various parts of whales are fully used, such as using whale oil as an insecticide, using bones for carvings, and making dragons.
Saliva as perfume etc.
After World War II, Japan's whaling industry surged due to food shortages and the need to earn foreign exchange.
In the 1950s, Japan had become the world's largest whaling country.
In 1962, Japan's domestic consumption of whale meat peaked at 233,000 tons.
Japan’s commercial whaling was completely terminated in 1988.
However, in fact, Japan established a separate "investigative whaling" project and continued to hunt whales on the grounds of "scientific research."
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Although Japan has never stopped whaling, the restrictions proposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) have driven the whaling industry into depression.
The Japanese industry has hoped that the lifting of restrictions could allow the whale industry to flourish again.
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These are the background for Japan to restart whaling.
However, since the 1970s, the number of whaling in Japan has declined year by year, and today whale meat is no longer a common dish in Japan.
Compared to the 6 million tons of pork and chicken consumed each year, only 3,000 tons of whale meat is indeed insignificant, and whale meat has not become expensive due to the reduction in supply.
Whether it is to resume whaling for cultural, industrial or political reasons, low supply and demand for whale meat and low prices are realities that cannot be ignored.
Japan will also face condemnation from international environmental groups if it resumes whaling.
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Soon after its withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Japan announced the fishing quota for commercial whaling of the year.
The fishing quota from July 1 to the end of December is 227, including 150 bryde's whales, 52 minke whales, and 25 Sei whales.
Japan’s Fisheries Agency cited the calculation method of overseas scientists and said that "even if such fishing continues for 100 years, there will be no adverse impact on the resources."
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Warning: these questons and answers are not all representative of the way questions will be asked and answered in the pilot, because some questions are compound and some answers do not include citations.

Q: Is whaling an industry in Japan?
A: Yes.

Q: What are whales used for in Japan?
A: They are used for food, and various parts of whales are fully used for other products such as using whale oil as an insecticide, using bones for carvings, and making dragons. Saliva as perfume etc.

Q: When did the industry begin to surge?
A: After WWII.

Q: What lead to the surge?
A: Food shortages in the country and the country’s need to earn foreign exchange.

Q: What was the peak of Japan's domestic consumption of whale meat?
A: 233,000 tons.

Q: In which year was the peak?
A: In 1962.

Q: When was Japan’s commercial whaling completely terminated?
A: In 1988.

Q: What was the “investigative whaling” that Japan established?
A: It is a program that Japan used to continue the whale hunting.

Q: Did the whale hunting restrictions of IWC affected the industry in Japan substantially?
A: Yes, they have driven the whaling industry into depression.

Q: What are the hopes of Japanese regarding IWC’s restrictions?
A: The Japanese industry has hoped that the restrictions could be lifted to allow the whale industry to flourish again.

Q: What is the situation of the market of whale meat?
A: It has declined very substantially.

Q: What is Japanese government’s position on whale hunting?
A: The Japanese government imposes quotas in its whaling industry and believes that under the quota there will be no adverse impact on the resources.