Why dont they just change the international laws on whaling?

Question

Everybody in the world seems to have a problem with whaling apart from the Japanese and it's only because of some loop hole that allows them to kill thousands of whale for "scientific research" that lets them do it. It happens every year and heaps of people protest. Even if it took them a few years to change at least you would know they were doing something to stop whaling.

Why do they need so many whales each year for their research and have they actually found anything scientific from them?

Why doesn't the UN or who ever is in charge take some steps to get rid of that loop hole and abolish mass whaling for good?

Answer 1

International treaties or agreements aren't worth the paper that they're written on.

Answer 2

The internationa community through the United Nations must have a uniform law on whaling because these creatures transcend boundaries of different countries.

Answer 3

Ohh please,ohh please,no more bannana

Answer 4

and delete the "provision on sushi" ???

Answer 5

sounds like a reasonable and fair question, but like most unfair things in this world, logic seems to disappear in the face of  financial gain of the few who do the wrong thing.

Answer 6

The answer is right there in your question:  in the international system, no one is in charge.  Under international law, every country is considered equal to and independent of every other country.  With a few limited exceptions (like genocide) no country or international body can legally compel another country to do something it doesn't want to do or stop doing something it wants to do.  

When a country has ratified (agreed to be legally bound by) a treaty, other countries can take action to force it to comply with its obligations, but the system is slow and unwieldy most of the time.

In the case of Japanese whaling, Japan has agreed to be bound by a treaty--the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling--but, as you correctly note, that treaty has a big loophole.  Why can't countries just close the loophole?  Because to do so, the treaty itself would have to be changed and renegotiating the treaty will be difficult when so many IWC member countries are under the economic influence of Japan.  Even if the treaty were modified, however,  Japan would not be bound by the new terms unless it agreed to them, which seems unlikely.

Answer 7

Whales are yummy.