A company from Japan had the idea of selling whale meat in vending machines in the city of Tokyo. The initiative divided opinions among the Japanese, who held protests in some parts of the country. In 1986, the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling after some species became extinct. But, the hunt still continued in Japan to carry out research. Commercial hunting returned in 2019 in the Asian country. The company that sells whale meat by machine aims to increase the quantity at 100 locations over the next five years in Japan.
The company focused on the whale hunting Kyodo Senpaku was responsible for making the self-service terminals, known in the country as hanbaikis. The Whale Stores (ウエールストア) offer canned, frozen, and sashimi-style meat. Prices range from 1,000 to 3,000 yen, which would average between R$40 and R$120 in reais.
Before the machines were implemented, a test was conducted at the end of last year. The spokesperson for Kyodo Senpaku, Konomu Kubo, stated in an interview given to the British newspaper The Guardian that sales exceeded expectations. “Sales sured our expectations, despite the products not being exactly cheap.” Furthermore, according to Kyodo Senpaku, many curious people and elderly individuals who want to reminisce about their childhood are buying this type of meat.
Regarding the criticism the company has been receiving since the installation of whale meat machines, the spokesperson states that it does not reflect the opinion of the majority. “We are aware of the criticism, but they are in the minority. What is important for us is how popular the machines have become so far.” One of the market leaders, Kyodo Senpaku annually provides an average of 100 tons of meat from the animal to be offered to children in school lunches.
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The tradition of whale meat is not new
Whale meat consumption was quite intense after World War II: in the early 1960s. During this period, about 233,000 tons were consumed in a year in Japan. In Japan, whale meat is called kujira. At that time, it was common for the meat to be served in school lunches. With awareness campaigns, whaling industries decreased the amount of such meat. In 2021, for example, 1 ton of meat was consumed over the course of a year in the Asian country. However, the presence and modernization of machinery in the industry contributed to the popularization of this food.
People who are against the consumption of whale meat protest for it to be prohibited. Through a statement, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation remarked: “Only a small, yet influential, group of politicians and industry stakeholders move the whaling interests in the country”, stated the institution, in a note. The industry has the of conservative politicians, who accuse the opposition groups to whale consumption of killing a tradition in the name of what they call “culinary imperialism”.
The importance of whales for the environment
According to the The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), whales are the most intelligent creatures in the ocean, as well as being the largest. They are responsible for accumulating a large amount of carbon in their bodies. This allows them to store billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year. According to a study by the International Monetary Fund, whale protection has a monetary incentive, as these animals are an important nature-based solution for capturing carbon from human emissions, which impacts the reduction of global warming.
With an average lifespan of 200 years, when whales die they submerge to the bottom of the ocean and take carbon with them. According to the study, each whale captures at least 33 tons of carbon dioxide.
