"What is Japan doing," said an exasperated Chris Carter, New Zealand's conservation minister, during the humpback debate in St. Kitts. "It seems determined to anger the world."

Last year, ...the inventory of unsold whalemeat reached a record 6,000 tons after the Japanese whaling fleets returned from Antarctica, according to researcher Junko Sakurai. From the Japan Times.

Regardless of one's opinion on the whale hunting issue, Japan's behavior is a bit strange. Or it could be business as usual: We are primarily victims. The world is wrong and we are right. (That's why the USA is Japan's only ally. Both countries are always right and know everything . Both are also becoming more isolated from the rest of the world. The difference is that Japan was arguably never really a part of the international community.)

Also: Much as Japan's politicians champion logic and science in the service of their cause, however, it is clear that nationalism is one of the pillars that props up the campaign. Many of the most active prowhalers are on the right of the political spectrum, and the vast majority of the PWL has no electoral or commercial ties to whaling. In fact, only around 10 percent come from districts with a direct connection to the whaling industry. HERE