The Roman's killed people as part of thier arts and Entertainment, So did several Arabian cultures. Europeans had public witch burnings in the middle ages. France had public beheadings of royals barely 200 years ago.

If this is directed at what I said:

Exactly, I would consider bullfighting culture because it's unique to / originated in Spain, and Matadors still wear the costumes they have been throughout the ages.
But what I'm saying is, I don't see how whaling is cultural to Japan. It's not unique, nor does it reflect traditions throughout the ages. It's just get on a boat, shoot some whales, process them and sell them.

And hunting the whale down in the waters around Antarctica at the southern end of the world is hardly part of the cultural heritage! ;)

Let's face it the cultural argument doesn't hold up at all. The scientific argument is a complete sham. The economics of it makes no sense at all. There is only one valid reason why the industry continues and that's politics.

Agreed. Maybe the government doesn't want to look like they're giving in to Sea Shepherd and seem weak :L

If I were the Japanese government I certainly wouldn't give in to terrorists.. :/

Terrorists!
If putting pretty much only yourselves in danger is being a terrorist then the guys of the Sea Shepherd crew are bad as they come!! LOL

Anyway I think it has llittle directly to do with Sea Shepherd. It's about not giving in to any international pressure on this issue. This is how they appease the nationalists and the Yakuza who appear to be linked in with the industry.

I think I understand what you're trying to say, but I view the world; animals, humans, nature etc. as a whole. Don't forget where we come from; Humans are part of nature, humans are also animals. Chickens and cows aren't intelligent, but that's not a reason to start killing them for our burger. They are not worth less than intelligent animals beceause they aren't smart... Thinking you have a right to kill chickens and cows doesn't make you any more enlightened than whale hunters. I agree with you that is isn't exactly "right" to kill an other intelligent being. But as I've stated, humans are also animals. So it actually is a gray area.

LOL! A whale of a request! I didn't know it was gonna be a bad joke. I love stuff like that.

From my point of view as a vegetarian,eating fish,eating beef,eating frogs' legs,even eating dog,it's all mostly the same to me. They're all living creatures,they used to be alive,now they're dead. People are eating them when they don't technically need to but who am I to judge? That said,I can see how whales are more intelligent. It's not an easy topic,the whale hunting. Creatures like whales, cows,sheep and fish that don't hurt us,I especially don't see why you would want to eat. I mean at least sharks,they eat people! It is gonna be hard in Japan but I'll just have to find the other vegetarians. There are enough positives about Japan for there to be any point going there though,I think.

If the guy has taken a liking to whale,the guy has taken a liking to whale.
Like I said,I don't see much of a difference. And also, if you have all these ''degrees'' of vegetarianism,of what animals some people will eat and some people won't then the Japanese(well actually,the rest of Europe isn't great for this sort of thing) will (perhaps continue to) expect all vegetarians to eat fish and maybe some other animals as well. The reason why I say Europeans, I once asked if there was anything vegetarian on a boat and the French woman said ''There is fish''. In her defence I did eventually get something and a lot of the European places I have got something,it just hasn't been particularly fantastic all the time. I suppose the only real place we aren't in trouble is in India.

Yakuza is irrelevant to the whaling issue.
Yakuza doesn't do the work that doesn't make a profit.

The international problem to which yakuza lies is a human rights issue.
Okinawa, Ainu, Japan in korean and this Douwa etc.
Yakuza blackmail the local government and make money.

I agree with GoNative.

I mean, I really wouldn't put Paul Watson on par with Bin Laden. I know there can be lesser forms of terrorism, but c'mon. They don't hurt anyone, and don't intend on hurting anyone. And that's not terrorism. All they want to do is taint some meat and cut some lines.