I've been trying to get to the bottom of the Whaling controversy that's painting Japan as the 'evil bad guy'. After pages and pages of 'evil-Japanese-whaling' I ACCIDENTALLY found these links:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6059564.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7611617.stm

Why haven't I heard this before? These Icelanders and Norwegian are pissed that they even have to deal with this International whale commission( IWC ). They been like this for years, and now they are pretty much telling IWC that they will do as they want in their coastal waters. Its been on and off like this since before 1998. And in 2006 they simply started whaling again! Where's the news cameras? where's Green Peace?

Yet they bash Japan on whaling. And on what grounds? Japan is using a loop hole in the IWC own regulations that's allowing them to take about 900 small whales a year. FIX YOUR F_CKING REGULATIONS FIRST IWC! How dare you create a campaign to paint Japan as sinister and underhanded when they are merely following your own IWC rules? And you don't publicly attack Iceland or other Norwegian countries.

Japan has real image problems that are her own fault. Some of use for years have been trying to clean this up. For the IWC to take advantage of this image problem and try to slip this whaling controversy into the same mold is despicable.

Japan should take Iceland's lead and give the finger to the IWC. Whale only in coastal waters the amount she thinks is sustainable.

Whatever dude, whaling is stupid. Most Japanese have never tried eating it and don't want to. It's just like sealing in Canada or poaching in 3rd world countries.

Seriously, just leave the whales the f-k alone, beef is better for you anyway (no mercury) and we got no shortage of cows.

I agree though, those other Nordic countries shouldn't do it either.

I actually don't care if people eat whale or not. That's not the issue for me. Its the double standard that pisses me off. The IWC doesn't really even care about Japan, its only using Japan as a hitting post to increase its own support and awareness. Why haven't they publicly made a big deal about the Norwegian countries? They have been taking whales illegally, Japan has been using a loop hole. Answer, Bashing Norwegians is a hard sell to Europe and America, that's why.

Yeah hypocrisy abounds, all over the world. Most countries accuse of countries of doing bad things that they do themselves. Anyway, no need to stress over it too much - I think the main reason Japan gets put in the spotlight more on this issue is that it's the #2 economy in the world. Nobody really cares or knows about Norway.

Anyway, I love Japan, but I stick with what I said before -- just leave the damn whales alone (that goes for everyone)...