Well, well, well. Japan failed to seize the majority at the International Whaling Commission for at least one more year. No secret ballots. No scuppering the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. No kicking Greenpeace out. And, predictably, the Guardian reports the usual sour grapes threat: “Japan threatens to leave IWC”
There are 255 hits on Google for the phrase ["Japan Threatens to leave" + IWC] some dating back to 1999. They drag out the same damn press release every time they lose, claiming that the IWC has been hijacked by conservation interests and no longer appears interested in the real business of responsible, sustainable whale resource management making some Yen off of the killing of whales.

Next year may be different. The anti-whaling forces are going to have to work pretty hard to widen that 3-vote gap between an IWC that sides with right-thinking whale protectors worldwide, and an IWC that endorses wholesale slaughter.

The cartoon above was part of a New Yorker caption contest a couple weeks back. The wonky in-joke caption I’d scribble today: “I don’t think the insurance will cover the damage, dear. But we could always apply for Japanese Fisheries Aid.”