新奇事件簿 日本恢复商业捕鲸（在线收听）

Japan has resumed commercial whaling after a hiatus of over three decades. Commercial whaling was banned in 1986 by an International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium. However, Japan withdrew from the IWC in December. Japan's government has promised all whalers will stay within 320 kilometers from its coast. The Japanese fisheries agency set a quota for killing 227 whales every six months. In the first days of resumed whaling, whalers caught two minke whales, which were taken to the northern port of Kushiro. The whale meat was auctioned in Tokyo and sold for record prices. Eager restaurant owners snapped up the meat at prices of up to $140 per kilo.

时隔三十多年后，日本恢复商业捕鲸。1986年，国际捕鲸委员会（IWC）禁止商业捕鲸。但在12月，日本退出IWC。日本政府承诺所有捕鲸船将停留在距离海岸320公里以内。日本设定了每六个月捕杀227头鲸鱼的配额。在恢复捕鲸的头几天里，捕鲸船捕获了两头小须鲸，并将它们带往钏路北部港口。鲸鱼肉在东京拍卖，并以创纪录的价格售出。热切的餐馆老板们以每公斤高达140美元的价格抢购这些肉。

Japan has engaged in the practice of whaling for centuries. Whale restaurant chef Mitsuo Tani summed up why he thought the return of commercial whaling was important. He said: "A country that does not preserve its food culture has no future." He also promoted the health benefits of whale meat. He said: "It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two times less fat than chicken and it's packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this." However, Japan's return to whaling has brought international outcry. The Humane Society accused Japan of starting a "new and shocking era of pirate whaling". It added: "This is a sad day for whale protection globally."

日本从事捕鲸已经有几个世纪了。鲸鱼餐厅的主厨Mitsuo Tani总结了为什么他认为恢复商业捕鲸是重要的。他称：“一个不保护饮食文化的国家是没有未来的。”他还宣传了鲸鱼肉对健康的好处。他表示：“鲸鱼肉的卡路里比牛肉的低5倍，胆固醇低10倍，脂肪比鸡肉低2倍，肉中还含铁。但国外的人不知道这一点。”但日本恢复捕鲸引起了国际社会的强烈抗议。人道协会指责日本开始了一个“令人震惊的海盗捕鲸新时代”。其还补充道：“对全球的鲸鱼保护来说，这是悲伤的一天。”