I recently heard from BBC News that Japan decided to start commercial whaling in their territorial waters as of July 2019. They have a legal right to do it. However, this makes me sad. I guess I could get angry, but what’s the point. It would not help the the whales. If you verbally attack, demonstrate or throw paint in protest marches (PETA method) this will only cause the Japanese whalers and their government to double down and be more entrenched. Athough they claim that whaling is cultural, I think the true reason is economic. I hear that in Japan, whale meat sales are down and government subsidies are up; however, they have a bunch of people who depend on the whaling industry. What do you do with these people? If your livelihood was threatened, wouldn’t you fight for it even if that livelihood is morally questionable, as I believe whaling is? If you want to save the whales, provide a livelihood for the whaler that doesn’t involve killing whales such as whale watching or filming them. Let’s get creative and start being rational. Talk to them and hear their side, and together we may find a solution.

On the bright side, the commercial whaling will be in Japan’s territorial waters instead of the Antarctic waters where Japan is doing what they call « scientific whaling ». (Maybe someone could tell me the difference between scientific whaling and commercial whaling since whales are killed in both cases.) Meanwhile, the Antarctic whales will be safe. I don’t know how many or what type of whales are in Japanese waters but I will pray that we can find a solution before they go extinct. What are your thoughts?