How Online Discussions on Whaling Get Twisted in Japan · Global Voices
whale meat cans piled up at a store. Photo by flickr user <PERSON> (CC BY NC 2.0)
Following the International Court of Justice ruling on 31 March 2014 that ordered Japan to halt what the country claims as a ‘scientific research’ whale hunt in the Southern Ocean, Japan's e-commerce giant Rakuten has asked its marketplace users to end all online sales of whale and dolphin products including meat, skin and bones by the end of April.
Though the sale of whale meat is legal in Japan, whale meat sellers often use e-commerce platforms. A whale meat seller [ja] in Nagasaki, which began business in the early 1900s, announced their withdrawal from Rakuten :
＜ご報告＞
この度、楽天市場が「鯨肉」を禁止商材に決定いたしましたので４月末日までで、”くじら日和 楽天市場店”は退店となります。
<Announcement>
We will close our store at Rakuten at the end of April due to ban on whale meat transaction
Whaling itself has always been controversial in Japan in regard to international relations, and has been a good topic for teachers to take up the issue in classroom discussion, because opinions vary. However, contrary to the diverse discussions seen in classrooms, opinions in the online environment that are loud and most noticeable are the ones on the fringe.
These opinions often advocate defending the custom of hunting and eating whale meat and are often accompanied by patriotism, when the ruling is specifically against the misconduct of Japan's “scientific research”.
Taiji Town Museum of Whales exhibiting images of traditional whaling fishermen. Photo taken by flickr user <PERSON> (CC BY NC SA)
Conversation on twitter seemed to be dominated by users who were vocally against the world court ruling and Rakuten's ban, while people with differing opinions – and there are certainly many in Japan who think differently from what online comments suggest – remain silent.
Therefore listing vocal, conspicuous comments probably will not reflect overall rounded general discussion. The following quotes are intended to showcase some of the talking points on the Internet, how unhealthy or healthy the discussion may be.
Conservative pro-whaling netizens booed Rakuten's decision. 925
Twitter user <PERSON> commented:
楽天が鯨肉販売を禁止 イルカも、全店舗に通達 http://t.co/23l6beElya ニュース知って唖然とした。日本包囲網になぜ日本企業が参加するのですか？日本の伝統文化を潰すことがグローバルってことなんですか？
— くっくり (@boyakuri) April 3, 2014
Rakuten bans selling whale and dolphin meat on its platform. All stores are notified. It's an astounding piece of news. Why would a Japanese company want to take part in besieging Japan? Killing traditional Japanese culture means being global?
One particularly loud advocate for Japan's whaling is an American video blogger in Texas who goes by the name of “Propaganda Buster”. He receives echoes of many Japanese followers behind the keyboard. His many Japanese followers call him “<PERSON>”.
In a YouTube video translated into Japanese by his supporters whose funding is unknown, he aggressively spoke out against controversial marine conversation group Sea Shepherd, which has actively opposed Japan's whaling:
His videos have been successfully exerting influence on Japanese netizens who find themselves suddenly shaping extremely patriotic voices on the Internet.
While Australians gave a high five, <PERSON> echoes the view of <PERSON>, and wrote that Sea Shepard would be the most negatively impacted by the International Court of Justice's ruling:
判決を受け、実は最も打撃を受けるのは #シーシェパード。 925