Giving Up Cornering Hunting

Japan reluctantly announced that it would abide by international regulation on dealing with wild dolphin. Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums decided to ban exhibition of dolphins captured in Taiji town where traditional brutal dolphin hunting still remained. It was a necessary measure for JAZA to overturn the sentence of World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which recommended expelling Japan from the association. But, JAZA still appeals that the traditional hunting in Taiji is not brutal.

WAZA suspended membership of JAZA with unanimous approval, accusing its violation of ethical standard through hunting in Taiji that corners dolphins into small bay. While WAZA required Japan to halt the hunting for two years last year, JAZA rejected it. The suspension was a countermeasure against Japan’s rigorous resistance against world standard.

After a movie, titled Cove, revealed brutal dolphin capture in Taiji in 2010, accusation against Japan has been spreading to the world. As shown in the movie, Lucy, dolphin is supposed to use greater part of brain than human does and killing it is recognized as inhumane. It is a sense of admiration on the smartness of dolphin.

To the contrary, the Japanese, surrounded by the seas, have been regarding dolphin as a sort of fish, on which they live. Hunters dispute against world criticism, stressing that their hunting has been improved and no longer brutal. But, administrators in zoos and aquariums are worried about Japan’s isolation from the world, afraid of negative impact on international trade of rare animals for exhibition.

A solution for the gap between WAZA and JAZA would be introducing Japan technology of propagation of dolphin, which is already a standard for most aquariums in the world. It is undeniable that the Japanese have been lazy in finding an alternative to cornering dolphin hunting. Zoos and aquariums were not active in building propagation system for dolphin. It may take several years, however, to build that system to prevent isolation from the world.

Exhibition of dolphins is one of the most popular amusements in aquariums in Japan. Acrobatic show of dolphins, such as high jump from water, dynamic diving or friendly relationship with people, collects great attention from audience, while it was originally an exhibition of dolphins’ unique character. Visitors of those facilities will also be required not to have excessive expectation on dolphin circus.

There is actually a kind of skepticism in Japan against admiration on dolphin by the Western nations. But, the Japanese have to realize that the world is not so big to allow Japan living alone.