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Japan's argument is simple: it has no desire to hunt anything other than types of whale, such as the blue, that can be harvested without a threat to their future.
Tokyo accusesthe West - still insisting on the ban on hunting all main species - of ignoring science, breaking treaties, cultural imperialism, double standards and outright racism. Commercial whaling, say the Japanese, is of no economic significance. It is, though, part of their heritage, and a matter of principle.

A Mori poll for Greenpeace showed that 10 per cent of Japanese supported commercial whaling, 14 per cent were opposed and the rest had no opinion. 'Most Japanese don't have an interest in commercial whaling or whale meat,' said Nagasawa.

Whaling is also economically insignificant. There are only four traditional whaling villages, with five boats between them. The ban on commercial whaling led to a loss of just 450 jobs, and the current total market is 2,000 tonnes of minke whale meat a year, with a retail value of just £70m.