JAPAN’S appetite for whale meat is on the wane. The economic recession and
shifting cultural attitudes are making it harder to sell the controversial
food.
Fish markets failed to shift around 220 tonnes of the 750 tonnes of whale
meat on sale between July and August 2000, according to a new report by the
Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo.
Last year, Japan killed 400 minke whales—that’s 1800 tonnes of meat for
the dinner table. Sales were better, but Japan’s whalers are still finding it
difficult to unload the expensive delicacy.
“Demand is down for all types of seafood in Japan because of the economic…
