Trying To Get Japanese Consumers Hooked On Whale Meat
Japan's annual whaling season has now reached its peak. It is three years since the country withdrew from the International Whaling Commission and resumed commercial hunting. But whaling companies have found that making their products popular with consumers is a major challenge.
The landing of a large Bryde's whale caught off northern Japan was shown to the media at Tokyo's wholesale fish market on Wednesday.
Whaling companies are trying to create added value for whale meat in a bid to make it more appealing to consumers.
They have started distributing fresh meat from whales caught in Japanese coastal waters instead of frozen.
Kyodo Senpaku catches about 80 percent of Japan's total take of whales.
The president of Kyodo Senpaku, Tokoro Hideki says the aim is to boost demand for whale meat as a whole by promoting the taste of fresh meat.
The company expects its commercial whaling business to make a profit for the first time this fiscal year.