Whaling has become a popular culture in Japan ever since the 20th century when whales were hunted for their meat and oil. However in modern Japan there are many more sustainable food sources. As a result of the the decreasing whale population in the Antarctic, whaling was made illegal. Despite this, for the past couple years, the Japanese government continues to allow the hunting of whales under Article VII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling as they supposedly make a significant scientific contribution. This has been proven a lie as most whales are use for commercial profits, thus still making it illegal.

Just this month, a factory ship and three harpoon vessels were spotted headed out to the Antarctic. After pressure from delegates from multiple countries, Japan pledged reduce the amount of minke whales they kill from around 10,000 in the span of 30 years to killing 333 whales a year for the next 12 years. Not only is this not much of a difference compared to the past years, but they still do so under the pretense of contributing scientific research to the correlation of whale and fish populations.

Whales are an important part of our ecosystem: their excrement stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn brings up iron, nitrogen, and other nutrients to the surface of the water. It purifies the water for fish by pulling carbon from the atmosphere. The phytoplankton is also a food source for many underwater creatures who need it to survive. On top of this, whales are extremely intelligent creatures. They are able to effectively communicate with each other in their own intricate language and have a working limbic system contributing to their emotional awareness.

Now for some good news; it is possible to stop the Japanese government from continuing whaling. Not only have these programs struggled financially for the past couple years, but they are stealing funds to continue their illegal activities from post-tsunami reconstruction money. More and more people are joining the cause by not purchasing whale meat, which is decreasing in popularity but still on the market.

Please sign this petition to raise awareness about whaling and to inform The Ministry of Environment in Japan to abide by the law and stop whaling in Japan.