Prompted by Japan’s 2019 reopening of commercial whaling within its EEZ, discussions on the whaling issue have been revived both domestically and abroad. The responses from overseas have for the most part been critical, though some have evaluated positively the reduction in number of whales taken and Japan’s withdrawal from the Antarctic Ocean. Characterizing whaling as a Japanese tradition generated misunderstanding and criticism. A more thorough explanation of how whaling constitutes part of the Japanese identity is now needed.
Selected Papers No.26