For a huge train nerd like me, rail travel in Japan is a dream. I took a trip on a train that feels like it's from the future
Right from the start, it's clear that something special is happening on Platform Five. Although the track is empty, the little guardrail is already lined three-deep with Japanese onlookers, their phones held aloft. Video mode: on and recording.
An announcement heralds the Spacia X limited express as it pulls into Tokyo's Asakusa station. It looks like it's not just arriving from the ancient town of Nikko but also the future. The silvery, super-streamlined train sweeps around the bend, and I see the engineer at the controls. He eyes the excited waves of the small crowd and returns just one stern nod, as if to say, We're doing important work here: moving a whole nation, by track.
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The program aimed to explore how different whale species interact with one another, monitor the broader Antarctic ecosystem, and develop models of ecological competition among whales. In 2014, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reviewed the program following a case brought by Australia. While the court acknowledged the scientific value of the research, it ruled that JARPA II did not fall within the scope of Article VIII, Paragraph 1 of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. One of the reasons cited was the program's failure to meet its target sample size. As a result, JARPA II came to an end later that year. NEWREP-A was developed in response to the ICJ ruling. The program was launched after expert review by the IWC and discussions within its Scientific Committee. Its main goal was to improve the accuracy of biological and ecological data used to calculate catch limits for Antarctic minke whales under the Revised Management Procedure (RMP). It also aimed to deepen understanding of the Antarctic ecosystem through the development of ecosystem models. This ongoing program continues Japan's long-term efforts to study whales in the Antarctic with a focus on sustainable use of marine resources. All research is conducted through non-lethal methods. The survey looks at population size and trends among large whale species, as well as their distribution, migration patterns, and stock structure. Since the launch of JASS-A, no whales have been caught, and researchers are now working to update population estimates based on data from the 2010s and 2020s. Surveys are primarily being conducted in Areas IV and V. (©Suisan Keizai Daily News ) (Provided by the Institute of Cetacean Research) (The report is published in cooperation with the Institute of Cetacean Research in Japan. A version of it was first published in Japanese in the Suisan Keizai Daily News on February 28, 2023. Let us hear your thoughts in our comments section.) Author: Suisan Keizai Daily News このページを 日本語 で読む
