Maybe i shouldn`t be suprised...

[Oyuki kigan 0]

...but i am.

the Japanese government is suppressing news about an accident in the antartic with the whaling fleet.

 

Apparently, one of the vessels, the Nisshin no Maru had a fire on board, and lost one crew member. They sent out a destress call, and the first ship (and currently olny one, i hear) is Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior.

Apparently the weather is getting worse, and there is a real chance for the Nisshin Maru to sustain damage from ice build-up.

The Rainbow Warrior is ready to tow her, but the Japanese gov't wan't allow it.

Nor have i been able to find any info about it in today's paper.

 

Seriously, this kind of censorship bothers me A LOT.

If anyone can find some Japanese news sources that are breaking this, let me know!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

here\'s a link though its not Japanese Surely somebody with your Japanese ability could search it

[Yuki's Passion 1]

Heres a story today from MDN:

 

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/features/news/20070216p2g00m0fe036000c.html

 

Losing the base: As government pushes for whaling, young Japanese losing interest

 

A group of Greenpeace activists, one of them wearing a whale costume, march in a Tokyo street Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007. (AP Photo)OKINAWA -- Hiroshi Kobayashi has been hunting whales for three years now. He knows just where they can be found, and boasts that, in season, he has a close-to-perfect record of finding them.

 

But he's never killed one -- he captains a whale-watching boat for tourists. And he thinks whaling is, or should be, a thing of the past.

 

"They used to whale here in Okinawa," he said after taking out a group to see humpback whales migrating through the waters near this southern Japanese island. "It wasn't a problem because there were more whales then. But I really can't support killing them now."

 

Though determined as ever, the Japanese government's fight to keep this nation's whaling fleet afloat despite overwhelming opposition around the world is facing a serious threat at home -- a lack of interest among younger people who have grown up amid the international whaling ban, never eaten whale and see the mammals more as impressive living creatures than a potential meal.

 

"It just doesn't seem right," said Kobayashi, who is in his 30s.

 

The government is unswayed by such sentiment....

 

After leaving Japan in November, a Japanese whaling ship was crippled by fire this week and drifted off the world's largest penguin breeding grounds. One crew member was missing from the 8,000-ton Nisshin Maru. Though the fire was contained below decks it continued to burn, said New Zealand Conservation Minister Chris Carter.

 

But whale is no longer an important part of the Japanese diet.

 

Unlike older Japanese, who remember whale as a regular item on school lunch menus, many Japanese under the age of 40 have never tried it and, with plentiful other sources of protein such as beef more widely available, have little incentive to do so.

 

The Cetacean Research Institute, which is in charge of the research whaling fleet, is hoping to change that.

 

"As part of our promotion campaign inside Japan, we are trying to have whales eaten for school lunches," said Gabriel Gomez, a spokesman for the institute. "It's important to actually try the food and to learn that it's actually good."

 

He added that whale goes well with Japanese food.

 

"Since Japanese people eat rice, I think it's good for them to eat whales along with their vegetables," he said.

 

Winning back Japan's hearts and stomachs might be an uphill battle, however.

 

"My parents' generation may feel differently, but I feel sorry for the whales," said Mayuka Hamai, a college student who was on Kobayashi's tour. "I've never eaten whale. I'd rather look at one." (AP)

 

February 16, 2007

 

 

"He added that whale goes well with Japanese food.

 

"Since Japanese people eat rice, I think it's good for them to eat whales along with their vegetables," he said"

 

WTF kinda bullshite is that? Seriously

 

How many of you have eaten whale? It tastes like nothing. Didnt find it tasty nor delicious nor anything I would try again. Its like Fugu. How many people really think Fugu taste good? It has nothing on some good Maguro!!

 

Wan*ers

 

OK,

 

just did a search using kujira and nisshin maru - check out the crap on the BBS:

 

http://food7.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/food/1106215142/501-600

 

http://news18.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/news5plus/1138173536/

[indosnm 0]

Whale meat.. not interested. Give me a whole bloody maguro and I'll polish the lot off.

Fugu is over priced tasteless crap too.

 

This happened ages ago (last week!), read the aussie news and you'll know about it!

 

Last night the news made it look like the greenies were to blame for the fire by throwing flares at them etc.

The fire happened below deck, which was a mechanical fault, not caused by the greenies. Nice spin they're trying to put on it.

more info here

 

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=72873

 

they'd get a warm welcome in OZ.

[thursday 1]

Yeah, tasted whale sashimi. Didn't like it much, nor the horse.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

raw horse is pretty good

 

Im still waiting to try:

 

panda,dolphin,kangaroo,cat, monkey, snow leopard, penguin, or any other cute animal that people dont want us to eat. Right, eat all the ugly animals

[bushpig 0]

kangaroo? Shit mate, they slaughter them and sell them as dog food in Aus. No one kicks up a fuss about eating Roo. They have to cull them in some areas to control over grazing on farm land. Our mistake for incroaching on their natural habitat, but necessary in those areas all the same. Roo meat is very common throughout Aus in supermarkets.

[bobby12 0]

on topic:

 

Id be interested to know if anzone found any info on this in Japanese news, because I know I have seen nothing of it on TV. I dont read the papers or japanese news sites though.

 

off topic:

 

I agree with creek boy, its nonsense how all the cute animals are the protected ones. And whale/fugu tastes like nothing special - emperors new clothes!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

OK,

 

heres one in Japanese:

 

行方不明者の発見について

2007年2月17日

(財)日本鯨類研究所理事長　畑中　寛

 

共同船舶（株） 社長　山村　和夫

 

　2月15日未明に南極海で発生した鯨類捕獲調査母船& #26085;新丸の火災で、乗組員避難時に行方不明となっ{ 90;いた共同船舶（株）の牧田和孝製造員（27才）が、 ;本日日本時間05:20に、火災現場を捜索していた乗組ࡼ 9;により遺体で発見されました。

 

　火災発生当初から、現場においては人命救助を 368;優先に消火作業を実施して来ましたが、牧田さん を生きて救出することが出来ず誠に残念です。ご 478;族の方々には捜索状況を逐次ご連絡差し上げてき ましたが、ここに改めてお悔やみを申し上げます 290;

 

taken from:

 

http://icrwhale.org/02-A-58.htm

 

and some English stuff:

 

http://icrwhale.org/News.htm

[YellowSnow 0]

List of "food" I have eaten.

 

Whale, twice once in Moss burger in Hokkaido and the other time in Shinagawa. I liked it

Grasshoppers, Takadanobaba was better than I expected.

Scorpion, Takadanobaba consistancy of prawns with the shell felt on, not bad,

Frog, numerous times.

Baby Sparrow again takadanobaba, not terribly bad, I didnt like the guey stomach much.

Balut(duck egg with fetus),Shinotsuka worse than sparrows.

Dragon Flies/Sparrows/Wasp nest/jelly fish/spiders/ silk worm larva/chevet cat

All in China, I have a feeling I ate dog as my Chinese friend was laughing his head of at how much I like the "special dinner".

 

Favorite food:foie gras, basashi and emu runners up.

Worst Japanese "Normal" food: Ankimo it sometimes called Japanese Fois Gras its made from fish liver I nearly puked my guts after taking a big mouth ful of it.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

check out the second link from the top, it shows the aussie/kiwi?? boat raming the japanese vessel

[Oyuki kigan 0]

That would be the Sea Shepard Society, the Earth First! direct-action type activists (or eco-terrorists, depending on where you stand) of the oceans.

Personally, since no one else is doing anything to stop the slaughter (Japan`s plans for this year include 'researching' red-list endangered species like humpbacks) i don`t have a problem with the tactics as long as they are non-violent.

 

as for the ICU post, it doesn`t say anything about how the vessel is still in danger, and how the Greenpeace vesel has offered help.

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by bobby12:
[QB] on topic:

Id be interested to know if anzone found any info on this in Japanese news, because I know I have seen nothing of it on TV. I dont read the papers or japanese news sites though.

Bobby as I said in the first post, it was on the late night news last night. Though the story made it sound like the greenies were responsible for the fire. Totally untrue.

Ramming is all good, but what happens if one of the ships go down. Not to environmentally safe is it.

Also, the japanese guy who was reported missing, has been reported to have been found dead where the fire started below the ship.

[bushpig 0]

nice ram! That's bloody dangerous if you ask me. Ihad to laugh at the size of the hole they ripped in their own hull after the bump, and even more when the got stuck on that ice!

 

Not an Aussie boat CB. I can't remember which country it was registered to, but they just delisted it and forced it to stop in Aus to re-register with another country.

[gerard 6]

 Quote:

Ramming is all good, but what happens if one of the ships go down. Not to environmentally safe is it.

Sunken ships make great coral reef though...

[thursday 1]

on topic: roo steaks taste like sheep. Croc steaks are a bit different but somehow they taste like ostrich steaks. We shared an ostrich egg once, all 20 of us.

[indosnm 0]

Roo steaks taste like sheep? Your joking right?

Nothing like it.

[spook 0]

i thought roo tasted like lamb, but all my farmer mates reckon it's the wormiest piec of meat you'll ever eat

[eskimobasecamp 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Oyuki kigan:
...but i am.
the Japanese government is suppressing news about an accident in the antartic with the whaling fleet.

Apparently, one of the vessels, the Nisshin no Maru had a fire on board, and lost one crew member. They sent out a destress call, and the first ship (and currently olny one, i hear) is Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior.
Apparently the weather is getting worse, and there is a real chance for the Nisshin Maru to sustain damage from ice build-up.
The Rainbow Warrior is ready to tow her, but the Japanese gov't wan't allow it.
Nor have i been able to find any info about it in today's paper.

Seriously, this kind of censorship bothers me A LOT.
If anyone can find some Japanese news sources that are breaking this, let me know!

i read about this, but it definitely wasn't in japanese...... and when do you ever have conversations with your japanese mates about what's happening in the world anyway? no one seems to care

[soubriquet 0]

I've been following this through the Australian press. The Nisshin Maru had a fire, is disabled and is expected to be repaired soon.

 

The eco-hysterics were initially screaming about the possibility of the ship sinking and leaking fuel. Now the eco-hysteric position it that it will be frozen into the ice this winter.

 

Here's an eco-hysteric quote from The Australian:

 

"Environmentalists, who were forced to call off their campaign to scupper the whaling after their ships ran low on fuel, said the Nisshin Maru, which is loaded with 1000 tonnes of fuel oil and other chemicals, was a disaster waiting to happen.

 

"I don't know how they're going to process all the whale meat if they've had such a big fire, especially with so many chemicals and whale oil about," Sea Shepherd Conservation Society president Paul Watson said. "

 

Your allegation that the only support for the ship is wrong. "Mr Corbett said the crew of 31 on board sealed the area of the fire yesterday and had managed to pump excess water from the fire fight from the deck.

 

The remainder of the 161 crew have been taken aboard four other whaling vessels, which came to their aid. The cause of the fire is unknown."

 

Your allegation that the news has been suppressed by the Japanese government is also wrong. The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 16th Feb that the Nisshin Muru had a fire, a crew member was missing and it had nothing to do with activists.

 

Oyuki, I am also against whaling. I think that it is barbaric and unnecessary. I am also opposed to bullshit, especially when it it is dressed in green. Bullshit.

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by eskimobasecamp:
and when do you ever have conversations with your japanese mates about what's happening in the world anyway? no one seems to care

That's because they don't know. Pushed in our faces in the western media. Headline story.
Here lucky if anyone has heard about it.. that's why. Not that they don't care, because you'd find that many people DO care and DON'T support whaling.

[Yuki's Passion 1]

>because you'd find that many people DO care and DON'T support whaling.

 

I dont see what the big deal is - its just a big mammal. I support all research done in the name of science. If it means taking out entire species of whales to draw a conclusion and allow all elementary school students in Japan to have whale with their lunch, then so be it. Next up, Koalas...or maybe Giant Pandas - I bet they taste good roasted over an open flame.

[farquah 0]

Guy`s you shouldn`t be so quick to lump everyone one in one boat here (so to speak!), there is a fair percentage of japanese against whaling and pro conservation here just as there is the same amount of people who are apatheitc about it back in your home countries. If you were to ask a random bloke in the pub on a friday night back home what his opinions were about whaling I doubt he would give to much of an arse either.

 

I work to try and get people to see the potential crisis we are in and the threat to our ecosystems, and it is often in the news here but just not quite as in your face as back in your home countries. You may see some conservation efforts dressed up with the "kawaii" factor here, but that`s becasue that is what is appealing and effective to some of the public here　(just as shock and outrage is at home), ultimately we try and get the same message across but it is just a difernet route to sending it out.

 

I agree that it should be on the top of more people agendas whether they be politicians or joe blogs down the road, but there is an applied effort in this country to do just that, despite it being a more softly softly approach and gentle persuasion. If you were to slap this across the front page of major newspapers shoulting about the evil whalers we harbour in Japan then it would just encourage a knee jerk reaction to "defend their whaling herritage" and would probably follow on a campaign to eat more whale to uphold the japanese history and culture in the face of "yet more foreign criticism".

 

Its about coercian as apposed to pressure here, and gentle persuasion as opposed to blatant arguments. There are still plenty of people working toward stablaising our ecosystems here.

But of course we could always do with more!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

your precious turtles are next mate

[thursday 1]

Forget Pandas, they're just bears. Bear meat must be so tough. There are farms breeding tigers. Lots of research need to do on them I reckon. Fry, griddle, etc...