I hope that over time the culture associated with this ritual will be remembered through stories and images, but I understand why the small villages and the people who still live there feel the need to return to their heritage and commemorate their past. I believe that animals should be treated with respect, just like humans. I might have a different idea if the hunted whales were on the verge of extinction, but the truth is that it's the whalers that are on the verge of extinction. Even though Norway claims that its national sovereignty allows it to allow whaling, public opinion works against it. Whaling in Norway is decreasing every year. (3) In Japan, although the government appears to act in accordance with international law, it is often found to use the "scientific research" loophole. This includes whaling in Antarctica. There are also government grants to promote this “scientific research”. I understand a little about subsidies. In America, we have subsidies on milk to keep prices low enough for low-income people to buy milk. I'm starting to understand why the anti-whalers are a little upset with Japan. If this is so important to their culture, why does this industry need subsidies to survive ??