Japan Resumes Commercial Whaling

Above, Captain Ahab (Gregory Peck) meets his end in Moby Dick (1956).

Well, it was bound to happen and Japan signaled that they would resume commercial whaling after 31 years.

CBC News reported:

Japanese whalers returned to port Monday with their first catch after resuming commercial whaling for the first time in 31 years, achieving the long-cherished goal of traditionalists that is seen as largely a lost cause amid slowing demand for the meat and changing views on conservation. 

A fleet of five boats left the northern Japanese port of Kushiro earlier Monday and brought back two minke whales. A crane lifted them and slowly placed them on the back of a truck to be taken to a portside factory for processing. Workers in blue plastic overalls poured sake from paper cups onto the first whale to express thanks and celebrate the first catch. 

It was the first commercial hunt since 1988, when Japan switched to what it called research whaling after commercial whaling was banned by the International Whaling Commission. Japan gave six months' notice that it was withdrawing from the IWC, a move that took effect Sunday.

To read more, go here. 

"Emperor"

Above, Tommy Lee Jones as Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

One movie opening (today) I am looking forward to seeing is Emperor, starring Tommy Lee Jones as Gen. Douglas MacArthur.   Jones is one of my favorite actors and never fails sink his teeth into great material and deliver a great performance.

Emperor is a Japanese American co-production that involves the post-World War II dilemma of Gen. MacArthur on what to do about Emperor Hirohito (Emperor Showa).  The dilemma that MacArthur had to face was whether or not Hirohito should stand trial for war crimes, which would mean certain execution.  If he were to stand trial and convicted, Hirohito's execution (who was still considered by the Japanese as their "Divine Leader") would enrage the Japanese and if he were not to stand trial, it would enrage America.

His problem was (more or less) settled for him as the Japanese surrendered with only one condition: they could keep their emperor. 

Americans were rankled in 1945 when MacArthur didn't put Hirohito on trial.  But the decision not to paved the way for the now-close relations between the United States and Japan.  Japan is now an important ally to America.

I am reminded that the 1977 release, MacArthur (with Gregory Peck in the title role) glossed over this part of MacArthur's story.  Its focus was more on MacArthur's disputes with President Harry Truman during the Korean War.  It was Truman who gave the task of heading up the occupation forces in Japan to MacArthur following Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945.

Today, the role of the Japanese emperor is more ceremonial (like the monarchy in the United Kingdom) as part of the surrender agreement has the condition that the emperor had to renounce his divinity.  

This part of post-World War II history has not been discussed much.  Generally speaking, it has pretty much been swept under the rug. 

Above, the Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is interesting to note that some parts of the movie were filmed on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as well as in New Zealand.

According to an article on the movie in the Los Angeles Times, since Hirohito's death in 1989, some historians have come to believe that Hirohito's role in World War II was not as blameless as was once thought.  It was thought previously that Hirohito was a pawn of the Japanese militarists.  It will be interesting to see how the movie treats this.

This movie will likely stir emotions in Japan and the U.S.  It has already stirred emotions in Japan as a recent screening had many leaving the theater in tears.