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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 TOKYO 000760 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR E, P, EB, EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/PD, PA; 
WHITE HOUSE/NSC/NEC; JUSTICE FOR STU CHEMTOB IN ANTI-TRUST DIVISION; 
TREASURY/OASIA/IMI/JAPAN; DEPT PASS USTR/PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE; 
SECDEF FOR JCS-J-5/JAPAN, 
DASD/ISA/EAPR/JAPAN; DEPT PASS ELECTRONICALLY TO USDA 
FAS/ITP FOR SCHROETER; PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR; 
CINCPAC FLT/PA/ COMNAVFORJAPAN/PA. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO PGOV PINR ECON ELAB JA
 
SUBJECT:  DAILY SUMMARY OF JAPANESE PRESS 03/20/08 
 
INDEX: 
 
(1) Vacancy in BOJ governorship (Part 1): Japan may be unable to 
send governor to G-7 in April; Concern that international confidence 
in Japan will decline (Tokyo Shimbun) 
 
(2) Editorial: Mr. Fukuda, the situation is more serious than you 
think (Asahi) 
 
(3) Dispatch Box: I want to believe that politics is now before dawn 
(Mainichi) 
 
(4) Fukuda stresses need to create consumer agency with strong 
authority (Yomiuri) 
 
(5) Poll in Iraq: Support for Prime Minister Maliki doubles to 40 
PERCENT  (Asahi) 
 
(6) Thinking of whales while enjoying whale dishes (Mainichi) 
 
ARTICLES: 
 
(1) Vacancy in BOJ governorship (Part 1): Japan may be unable to 
send governor to G-7 in April; Concern that international confidence 
in Japan will decline 
 
TOKYO SHIMBUN (Page 1) (Full) 
May 20, 2008 
 
An atmosphere of tension swept across the main office of the Bank of 
Japan (BOJ) in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, yesterday, when Governor Toshihiko 
Fukui's term of office expired. 
 
The House of Councillors, which the opposition bloc controls, 
rejected the government's nomination of Koji Tanami, a former vice 
foreign minister, for the BOJ governorship in its plenary session 
held yesterday afternoon. As related persons had worried since the 
opposition voted down the government's first nomination of Deputy 
BOJ Governor Toshiro Muto for the post, the top BOJ post has been 
vacant since yesterday. 
 
The BOJ sent to the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) and other major 
central banks on the phone or in writing the message that "Mr. 
Shirakawa now serves as acting governor" after the expiration of 
Fukui's term. 
 
This is first time in 85 years, since September 1923, for the post 
of BOJ governor to be left vacant. At that time, the vacated seat 
was filled only two days later. This time, however, the leadership 
vacuum at the central bank was caused as a result of political 
strife in the politically divided Diet situation, prospects for the 
situation to return to normal are nowhere in sight. 
 
The central banks of other industrialized countries have set a 
mechanism under which the incumbent will stay on if a new governor 
is not selected even after the incumbent's term ends, from the 
viewpoint of crisis management. That is because the central banks 
deal with the global market that is in operation on a 
round-the-clock basis. The current situation in the BOJ is quite 
unusual internationally. 
 
If the current situation continues for a while, the BOJ will face a 
 
TOKYO 00000760  002 OF 010 
 
 
major trial at a meeting of Group of Seven (G-7) finance ministers 
and central bank governors to be held in Washington in early April. 
Since there is no precedent in which an acting governor's 
participation was approved as the central bank representative, Japan 
may have to give up sending anyone from the BOJ. 
 
A senior Finance Ministry official said with a serious look: "If the 
governor of one nation is absent, its finance minister will explain 
the nation's monetary policy. In such a case, though, there will 
inevitably be a limit. There is the possibility that no probing 
discussion will be conducted, with the finance minister just reading 
a prepared paper." 
 
The focus of attention at the upcoming G-7 will be on how to ready a 
coordinated action plan under the lead of the U.S. to deal with the 
U.S. subprime mortgage crisis. Great expectations are placed on the 
roles to be played by the central banks at the meeting. Former FRB 
Chairman Greenspan contributed an article to the British newspaper 
Financial Times last month, in which he labeled the monetary market 
turmoil set off by the subprime loan problem as "the largest single 
crisis since the end of World War II." 
 
The BOJ has started work to coordinate views with countries 
concerned to enable the acting governor to attend the G-7. But the 
possibility is growing that the BOJ will be left out of discussion 
at an unprecedented crucial time. 
 
Hugh Patrick, a professor at Columbia Business School and a 
specialist on the Japanese economy, said that the BOJ leadership 
vacuum will "result in sending to the world the message that the 
Japanese government has become so weakened that it remains unable to 
make an important judgment on economic policy." He added: "Japanese 
politics is like a Kabuki performance. One cannot understand what is 
going on behind the scenes and what negotiations are being carried 
out." Professor Patrick then gave this advice: "I would be advisable 
that Japan appoint a new governor prior to such an important 
international conference as the G-7." 
 
Deputy Governor Masaaki Shirakawa, who serves as acting governor, is 
the best theorist in the BOJ and is also well known internationally. 
A senior BOJ officer said: "He has to demonstrate that he can do 
things without a hitch under this situation." But he angrily said 
that the vacancy in the BOJ top post will deal a serious blow to 
Japan, because its state governance will be questioned." 
 
The international confidence of the Japanese central bank will be 
significantly undermined. The situation will be worsening every 
moment. 
 
(2) Editorial: Mr. Fukuda, the situation is more serious than you 
think 
 
ASAHI (Page 3) (Full) 
March 20, 2008 
 
The top seat of the Bank of Japan is now vacant, which is an 
unprecedented emergency, especially at a time when the global 
economy is being shaken. 
 
A direct cause of the leadership vacuum at the central bank is the 
rejection of the government's nominations for the new BOJ governor 
by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and other 
 
TOKYO 00000760  003 OF 010 
 
 
opposition parties. In the House of Councillors plenary session, the 
opposition did not approve the nomination of Koji Tanami, a former 
vice finance minister. However, the main cause lies in Prime 
Minister Yasuo Fukuda's bungled handling of the nomination issue. 
 
Although the DPJ's conduct was inappropriate, Fukuda is to blame for 
failing to get approval of his nominees from the opposition. The two 
nominations for the new BOJ governor were rejected due to his lax 
approach to the problem. 
 
The political situation has been in shambles for the entire six 
months since the Fukuda government came into office. 
 
For about three months after he took office, Fukuda spent most of 
his energy on continuing and resuming the Self-Defense Maritime 
Force's refueling operation in the Indian Ocean. He has been 
striving hard to retain the current provisional tax for gasoline and 
road-related taxes. But politics has not kept pace with his 
efforts. 
 
Although only ten days are left until the end of the current fiscal 
year, when the issue of revenue sources for highway construction is 
hoped to be resolved, consultations on a revision of the 
government's drafted bill have yet to begin. Fukuda said that he 
would not interrupt the daily lives of the people, but the 
possibility is strong that gasoline prices will drop in April 1 when 
the terms of the provisional tax rates will expire. Does the prime 
minister plan to hike those tax rates again by using the ruling 
coalition's majority in the House of Representatives? He will likely 
make the same mistake as he did when he nominated candidates to 
serve as the new BOJ chief, saying: "It is unacceptable for the BOJ 
helm to be left vacant." 
 
Fukuda may want to say that the opposition camp, which has tried to 
stand in his way in the Upper House, should take the blame. However, 
he should have had the desire to overcome such situations when he 
took over the government helm. 
 
It is only natural that Diet business is not proceeding as smoothly 
as it did before since the ruling parties do not control the Upper 
House. The Fukuda government cannot make decisions in a flexible 
manner. 
 
 
The largest opposition party also is in turmoil. DPJ President 
Ichiro Ozawa tried to form a grand alliance with the ruling Liberal 
Democratic Party, but he has now locked horns with the ruling 
coalition over various issues. One of the reasons for getting the 
appointment of the new BOJ governor complicated is that the DPJ did 
not easily reach consensus on the issue of whether Muto should be 
promoted to the governor's post. 
 
Why did the Japanese politics become such a mess? Many people might 
think that a Lower House dissolution and general election would be 
the only way to break the present political stalemate. 
 
On the day when the Fukuda cabinet was inaugurated, we wrote an 
editorial titled "Proposal for Lower House dissolution in January." 
The point of the editorial was that the prime minister would not be 
able to manage politics with confidence unless he established the 
legitimacy of his government by asking the people's vote of 
confidence. 
 
TOKYO 00000760  004 OF 010 
 
 
 
We wrote the editorial because we felt a fear that politics would 
come to a standstill. Our fear has turned into reality. The 
international community may be disappointed at Japan more and more. 
The prime minister should face squarely the seriousness of the 
situation. 
 
(3) Dispatch Box: I want to believe that politics is now before 
dawn 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Full) 
March 20, 2008 
 
By Masao Yora, Mainichi Shimbun commentator 
 
Public opinion on former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is still 
divided. I think, however, the reasons the Koizumi government had 
remained in power such a long time were that its consistent public 
support and that the ruling and opposition parties feared the 
unpredictable and eccentric prime minister might dissolve the House 
of Representatives. 
 
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who has common sense, has been in 
trouble, because he lacks two factors. The public support rates for 
his cabinet have remained low. Both ruling and opposition camps are 
confident that Fukuda will not be able to dissolve the Lower House 
for the time being. For example, the main opposition Democratic 
Party of Japan (DPJ or Minshuto) was able to reject the government's 
candidates for the new governor of the Bank of Japan because the 
largest opposition force believed that Fukuda would not dissolve the 
Lower House. 
 
DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa also lacks visibility in his party. He 
had initially gone along with the government's nomination of Toshiro 
Muto, a former administrative vice finance minister, for the BOJ 
governorship, but he failed to convince party members, who have now 
moved away from him. 
 
Since the top leaders of the two parties have lost their grips on 
their parties, the Diet has not decided anything, and the public's 
anxieties about the economy will strengthen. I wrote in this column 
last month that calls for a grand alliance from newspapers and 
business circles would become stronger. However, it has now become 
difficult to form a grand alliance (of political parties). I 
strongly oppose the grand alliance notion. But political parties 
have lost their energy to substantially move forward with politics. 
 
Politics are now in a critical situation. Even though I want to 
believe that politics will again move forward, what can I say about 
what has happened to the Bank of Japan? There is no other way but to 
rebuild politics by letting the voters have their say. Is this idea 
overly optimistic? 
 
(4) Fukuda stresses need to create consumer agency with strong 
authority 
 
YOMIURI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
March 20, 2008 
 
Prime Minister Fukuda stressed his determination last night to make 
efforts to establish a new government agency separated from existing 
government offices and tasked with dealing exclusively with consumer 
 
TOKYO 00000760  005 OF 010 
 
 
affairs. His determination reflects a call in a final report 
submitted the same day by the Liberal Democratic Party's Research 
Committee on Consumer Issues, chaired by Seiko Noda. Replying to 
questions by reporters at his official residence, Fukuda said: 'It 
is necessary to establish a government office that considers things 
from the consumer's viewpoint." 
 
The government's Council for Promoting Consumer Policy, composed of 
experts, has discussed a new organization since last month. The 
panel plans to come up with a conclusion on specific functions of 
the new agency and other details possibly in May, based on the final 
report and a report with recommendations to be submitted later this 
month by the Council for National Consumer Affairs, an advisory 
panel to the prime minister. 
 
The prime minister said: "The policy direction shown in the final 
report is similar to my own thinking." He then indicated that 
powerful authority should be given to the new body, saying: "It is 
necessary to set up a body with such powers as collecting 
information, making policy plans, and issuing an instruction to 
other government agencies if necessary." 
 
The final report of the Research Committee on Consumer Issues called 
the new body an independent-type "consumer agency" and proposed 
providing the agency with great authority, including powers to (1) 
make an on-site inspections into entities whose products caused 
accidents; (2) confiscating the profits improperly earned by vicious 
entities; and (3) urging other government agencies to correct their 
practices. Regarding consumer affairs centers in local areas, a 
number of local governments have reduced the scale of the centers, 
reflecting their austere financial conditions. Given this, the 
report proposed reinforcing their functions, including budgetary 
allocations and the number of personnel. 
 
(5) Poll in Iraq: Support for Prime Minister Maliki doubles to 40 
PERCENT 
 
ASAHI (Page 1) (Full) 
March 19, 2008 
 
Yasunori Kawakami, Samawah, Iraq 
 
More than 70 PERCENT  in the southern Iraqi province of Muthanna 
support Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and his administration, the 
Asahi Shimbun found from its public opinion survey conducted there. 
In addition, the survey also found that the proportion of those who 
think Prime Minister Maliki is appropriate as "government leader" 
has doubled as compared with the last survey taken in August 2006. 
The survey was conducted in Muthanna only. However, it shows that 
the Maliki administration has now consolidated support and is 
becoming stable in Iraq's central and southern parts, whose 
population is mostly Islamic Shiite. 
 
In the survey this time, respondents were asked about public 
security in the province of Muthanna. In response to this question, 
a total of 99 PERCENT  answered that it was "good." In the summer of 
2007, former Muthanna Gov. Hassani was assassinated. After that, 
police and security forces controlled by the Supreme Islamic Iraqi 
Council (SIIC), to which Hassani belonged, clashed with the Mahdi 
militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr. The police currently set up 
checkpoints all over the southern Iraqi city of Samawah to contain 
Mahdi militants. 
 
TOKYO 00000760  006 OF 010 
 
 
 
Respondents were also asked who they thought was appropriate as 
their nation's leader. In response, 40 PERCENT  picked Maliki, who 
was at 18 PERCENT  in the last survey. In the survey this time, 
former Iraqi Prime Minister Jafari was at 30 PERCENT . In the last 
survey, Jafari was at 49 PERCENT , topping all others. In the latest 
survey, however, Maliki topped Jafari. Meanwhile, Sadr was down from 
14 PERCENT  to 6 PERCENT . These figures can be taken as reflecting 
a decline of the Mahdi militia's influence and a growing trend of 
the public's stability-oriented mindset. 
 
In the latest survey, respondents were asked to compare their daily 
lives with the prewar situation. To this question, 29 PERCENT 
answered that things have improved very much. In the last survey, 
their proportion was 23 PERCENT . Asked how their daily lives will 
change from now on, 44 PERCENT  said their daily lives will improve 
very much, up from 28 PERCENT  in the last survey. As seen from 
these figures, more people are now optimistic about their 
present-day and future situations. 
 
When asked about serious problems, "no job" accounted for 53 PERCENT 
, followed by "radical terrorism" at 35 PERCENT  and "electric power 
shortage" at 32 PERCENT . 
 
When considering stability in the Shiite region including Muthanna, 
the influence of Abdul Aziz al-Hakeem, who leads the SIIC, is a key 
factor. The SIIC controls province governors, police, and security 
forces in the central and southern parts of Iraq. However, only 3 
PERCENT  answered that they thought of Hakeem as a government 
leader. That is because he does not have a widespread base of public 
support. Hakeem is close to Iran, and Shiite people are strongly 
prone to react against him. 
 
Hakeem's low popularity shows that the Shiites in Iraq would not 
move close to Iran even if the United States pulls its troops out of 
Iraq. 
 
Muthanna is situated between Najaf and Basra, which are the center 
of religion and the center of commerce in Iraq's central and 
southern parts. The 1920 riot against Britain's rule and occupation 
started in this province. Samawah is essential to observe the 
political situation in the central and southern parts of Iraq. 
 
Questions & Answers 
(Figures shown in percentage) 
 
Q: What do you think about the Self-Defense Forces' 
two-and-a-half-year deployment? (One choice only) 
 
Very good 37 
Generally good 42 
Not very good 6 
Not good at all 7 
 
Q: How were the SDF activities? (One choice only) 
 
Very helpful 38 
Somewhat helpful 39 
Not very helpful 7 
Not helpful at all 8 
 
Q: What was helpful? (Only for those who answered "very helpful" and 
 
TOKYO 00000760  007 OF 010 
 
 
"somewhat helpful" to the foregoing question. Up to two choices.) 
 
Medical support 59 
Water supply 38 
Road repair 26 
School, facility repair 51 
Electric power supply 18 
Employment promotion 8 
 
Q: Why was the SDF not helpful? (Only for those who answered "not 
very helpful" and "not helpful at all" to the foregoing question. 
Only one choice.) 
 
Results short of expectations 41 
Results in specific areas only 27 
Results for specific people or individuals only 20 
SDF activities didn't meet local needs 11 
 
Q: Was the SDF loved by local residents? (One choice only) 
 
Very much 56 
Somewhat 32 
Not very much 3 
Not at all 2 
 
Q: Did the SDF's deployment make you change your view of Japan? (One 
choice only) 
 
Improved very much 40 
Improved somewhat 34 
Unchanged 18 
Worsened somewhat 2 
Worsened very much 4 
 
Q: How is public security in Muthanna? (One choice only) 
 
Very good 81 
Somewhat good 18 
Somewhat bad 0 
Very bad 0 
 
Q: Do you support the current government? (One choice only) 
 
Yes 72 
No 28 
 
Q: Who do you think is appropriate for government leadership? (One 
choice only) 
 
Nouri Maliki 40 
Ibrahim Jafari 30 
Abdul Aziz al-Hakeem 3 
Muqtada al-Sadr 6 
Iyad Allawi 16 
Ahmad Chalabi 2 
Other answers 3 
 
Q: How are your daily lives now as compared with the prewar 
situation? (One choice only) 
 
Improved very much 29 
Improved somewhat 33 
 
TOKYO 00000760  008 OF 010 
 
 
Unchanged 24 
Worsened somewhat 6 
Worsened very much 6 
 
Q: What about your daily lives from now on? (One choice only) 
 
Improve very much 44 
Improve somewhat 36 
Unchanged 12 
Worsen somewhat 3 
Worsen very much 3 
 
Q: What is the most serious problem to you? (Up to two choices) 
 
Unemployment 53 
Radical terrorism 35 
Potential civil war 9 
Foreign military presence 15 
Rising crime rate 4 
Rising prices 26 
Housing 12 
Water shortage 13 
Electric power shortage 32 
 
Polling methodology: The survey was conducted Mar. 13-15 in and 
outside the Muthanna capital city of Samawah, in the northern 
Muthanna city of Rumaythah, and in the southern Muthanna city of Al 
Khodair, with 20 areas selected in each of these four regions. For 
the survey, 20 pollsters visited houses with odd numbers on their 
door plates. Voters aged 18 and over were chosen, and the one whose 
birthday is closest to the survey date in each family was picked and 
questioned. Answers were obtained from 1,215 persons, broken down 
into 516 men and 699 women. 
 
(6) Thinking of whales while enjoying whale dishes 
 
MAINICHI (Page 2) (Excerpts) 
Evening, March 19, 2008 
 
By Taku Endo 
 
Whaling is still a highly controversial issue. The Sea Shepherd 
Conservation Society, a marine mammal protection group, even used 
force recently against research whaling vessels. People must be 
reminded that whaling is neither a political tool to be used in 
disputes between countries nor a dish served up by environmental 
groups. Eating whale meat has long been part of Japanese culture. 
 
"We are not saying that we should catch all the whales. But price of 
whale meat is still high, and the public is not convinced with the 
government's eagerness to settle the issue (by resuming commercial 
whaling)." 
 
This comment came from Keiichi Kikuchi, 75, a local historian in his 
studio in the city of Abashiri, Hokkaido, overlooking the Sea of 
Okhotsk. 
 
Abashiri is one of the five whaling bases in Japan that include 
Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture and Wada in Chiba Prefecture. Japan 
annually catches several Baird's Beaked whales, apart from research 
whaling authorized by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). 
Unlike before and after WWII, there is no craze for whale meat today 
 
TOKYO 00000760  009 OF 010 
 
 
in Japan. 
 
"When Japan accepted the IWC moratorium 20 years ago, nobody 
imagined that it would last long -- this long. Whaling is 
dwindling." 
 
Striking a balance between traditional culture and natural 
conservation is never easy. To Kikuchi, the Japanese government and 
whalers seem too reluctant to take action against the international 
anti-whaling movement. 
 
Kikuchi and I headed for the city's No. 1 whale restaurant as part 
of my assignment to write an article on whales, while enjoying whale 
dishes. 
 
At the restaurant, we first ordered a raw whale meat plate including 
slices of lean meat, jaw, tongue, and belly, followed by fried whale 
meat and tailfin dressed with vinegar miso sauce. We also ordered a 
pot with whale meat and vegetables in soup stock. 
 
Putting whale meat into the pot, Kikuchi said: "Blubber tastes 
exquisite. It's so mild that you can't stop eating it." 
 
Minutes later, restaurant manager Masamichi Ishiguro, 41, came to 
our table, and explained: 
 
"To anyone who has never tasted whale meat, I would recommend lean 
meat for starters. People generally think that whale meat has a 
smell. That is not the case with our meat. We serve meat from minke 
whales that were caught in research whaling. The meat today is 
tastier than in the past." 
 
The dishes at the restaurant were a surprise to a person like me who 
had only tasted fried whale meat on school lunch menus. Cooked whale 
meat tastes like venison, and raw whale meat resembles tuna or 
bonito. 
 
Kikuchi said cheerfully: 
 
"Tasty foods are readily available today, so whale meat may not be 
appealing to young people who are accustomed to fatty foods. But I 
want people to be able to enjoy whale meat, which is really tasty, 
without reserve." 
 
Activists aboard anti-whaling vessels of the Sea Shepherd group 
recently attacked research whaling ships in the Southern Ocean. 
Japan hosts this year's G-8 Summit in July in the Lake Toya 
hot-spring resort area in Hokkaido. Are some anti-whaling activists 
going to come all the way to Hokkaido? Mr. Ishiguro categorically 
said: "We have never experienced any harassment or trouble, and we 
are going to run business as usual." 
 
Even after returning to Tokyo, I clearly remembered Mr. Ishiguro's 
words, "Whale meat today is tastier than in the past." Is it true? I 
asked Toshio Nukui, 57, of Kyodo Senpaku, which sells meat from 
whales caught in research whaling. 
 
"A sense of taste of those who ate whale meat in a food shortage and 
that of young people today is different. Whale meat today should 
feel tastier than in the past to those who ate whale meat in such an 
age." 
 
 
TOKYO 00000760  010 OF 010 
 
 
The reason is because whale meat is frozen quickly today. Every 
whale caught in research whaling is slaughtered within two hours and 
frozen speedily. Frozen meat is also thawed out slowly so as not to 
produce meat juice. 
 
Nukui also noted: 
 
"In the past, supplying meat was top priority and quality was 
secondary. So there was meat that was sinewy or smelly on the 
market. But today, we are very careful to provide meat that fits the 
prices." 
 
At present, the wholesale price of lean meat is 1,990 yen per 
kilogram, and the quantity is limited. It is cynical to say that 
prices are too high since the taste has improved. 
 
The existence of whales carries special significance for the 
Japanese people. When unilaterally told by foreign countries not to 
catch whales, we would like to rebut that eating whale meat is part 
of our food culture. At the same time, whale meat is not necessarily 
indispensable for dinner tables in Japan. Many young Japanese people 
have never tasted whale meat. 
 
Sonoda Women's College Associate Professor Hisashi Hamaguchi, 52, 
who has written many books, including Hogei no Bunka Jinruigaku 
(Cultural Anthropology of Whaling), took this view: 
 
"Whether to regard whaling as the culture of entire Japan is 
controversial. There is no doubt that common wisdom has been handed 
down for generations in some areas. In other words, whaling reflects 
the diversity of Japanese food culture." 
 
Whale meat, once highly valued as an important source of protein, is 
now an expensive commodity. I fear that whale meat might disappear 
some day. Hamaguchi does not think so. 
 
"Whale culture exists only in whale-eating areas in the world. 
Whaling technology and using whales as food are two sides of the 
same coin. In Japan, too, whaling and food culture are likely to 
persist for a long time." 
 
In 2001, Hamaguchi had his students taste six whale dishes. A 
majority said that all dishes were tasty. In fact, some 80 PERCENT 
said that fried whale meat, whale meat boiled in soy sauce, and 
whale soup were tasty. 
 
"Many students think that whales are just for watching. But once 
they taste whale meat, they recognize the existence of whale meat in 
their food culture." 
 
Young men and women today seem to have an aptitude to accept whale 
meat as part of their food culture. The tradition of tasting whale 
meat is alive in our culture, albeit quietly yet firmly. 
 
SCHIEFFER