| ISANA
Jul. 2003 No.27 |
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Homage to Late Mr. Akiyama and Expectation for Prof. Koizumi
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Yoshito Umezaki
Fisheries Journalist
Secretary of the Group to Preserve Whale Diet Culture |
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Descendent
of the Founder of Boshu Whaling
We received the sad news
of the sudden death on January 16, 2003 of Mr. Shotaro Akiyama, an influential
photographer in Japan. He collapsed with a heart attack during the judging of
a photo prize contest.
Mr. Akiyama had many titles,
but unique among them was that of Chairman of the Group to Preserve the Whale
Diet Culture. He was elected head of this Group when it was founded on November
27, 1987.
The Group was formed by opinion
leaders and owners of whale food restaurants throughout Japan. Among the notable
members are Hayashiya Kikuzo (traditional comic story teller), Chizuko Togaeri
(essayist), Sanae Sato (novelist), James Miki (playwright), Takashi Atoda (novelist),
Chue Takubo (Professor of Kyorin University), Takeo Koizumi (Professor of Tokyo
Agriculture University) and Rempei Komatsu (former editor of Asahi Newspaper).
I was appointed Secretary of the Group because I had more time available for the
management of the Group than other members.
Mr. Akiyama was elected chairman
by the consensus of the members. Everyone knows that he was a gourmet deeply versed
in various types of cuisines, and above all, an ardent lover of whale dishes.
In 1982, when the International Whaling Commission (IWC) passed a commercial whaling
moratorium, Mr. Akiyama wrote an essay titled "Let us eat whale meat"
in the Sankei Sports Newspaper. In that essay he deplored the event: "Nothing
is more delicious than sushi with whale prime meat. I feel anger if I am forbidden
to eat that delicacy. It is truly regrettable that there are people who are insensitive
to the serious consequences of intervening in the food culture of other people."
As Secretary, I visited Mr.
Akiyama's office in Roppongi, Tokyo, to ask him to become chairman of the Group.
He accepted our request instantly, saying: "I will become chairman if we
can continue eating whale food." Shortly afterwards, he confessed that his
ancestors were the Daigo Family that started whaling in Boshu (now Chiba Prefecture
near Tokyo). "That's why I get excited when it comes to whales," he
added.
This was a surprise to me.
The Daigo Family, which was Mr. Akiyama's maternal ancestry, began the harpoon-type
harvesting of Baird-beaked whales from a base in Katsuyama (now Kyonancho) in
1612, and was granted a monopoly right for whaling from the local daimyo. "While
I was a student, I was very happy to go home during summer vacation. I ate whale
meat every day to gain strength," said Mr. Akiyama.
On November 27, 1987, the
first meeting of the Group to Preserve Whale Diet Culture was held at Taruichi,
a restaurant specializing in whale food in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Some 120 people attended.
The nationwide Yomiuri Newspaper reported upon Mr. Akiyama in the next day's column,
entitled "Face." He told the Yomiuri: "I cannot accept the assertion
that we should not eat even a slice of whale meat. Some species of whales are
increasing. Whether you take protein from cattle or whales is a matter of cultural
preference. I was set up as chairman of the Group to Preserve Whale Diet Culture
because I am so fond of eating whale meat. It is my belief that whaling should
be allowed as long as the stock is kept from depletion."
At the funeral of Mr. Akiyama
on March 5, about 2,000 people came to pay respect to him. |
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A Patriot
who fights for whaling cause
As successor to Mr. Akiyama,
Professor Takeo Koizumi of the Tokyo Agriculture University stood out as the primary
candidate. After sounding out the views of the major members, the consensus was
to elect him as new chairman. When Mr. Takashi Sato, vice chairman of the Group
and owner of Taruichi Restaurant, and I met with Prof. Koizumi, we could not get
an immediate affirmative reply from him. But on the next day, I received a fax
from him that said he would agree to assuming the post and will do his best once
appointed to it.
Prof. Koizumi was born in
1943 in a sake brewing family in Fukushima Prefecture, northern Japan. He teaches
zymology at the Tokyo Agriculture University. He is not only a scholar but an
essayist, a researcher of diet culture, and a writer. He is author of about 100
books, including those written in collaboration with others. His representative
works include "Episodes of Sake," "Heisei Health Lessons,"
"The Pleasure of Natto," "Strange and Queer Foods," "Traveling
China in Search of Strange Foods," and "Degraded Food Life and the Japanese."
In his recommendation on
"Degraded Food Life and the Japanese," Rokusuke Ei, a multi-talented
commentator, described Prof. Koizumi as a "patriot with chopsticks."
Reading this book you may find that this observation is accurate. In the book,
Prof. Koizumi deplores the probability that the Japanese spirit will naturally
become reduced when you see the low food self-sufficiency rate, young people moving
from traditional Japanese food to western style fast food, and young housewives
buying ready-made foods at supermarkets without bothering to cook by themselves.
On the whaling issue, he shrewdly points to the sheer absence of justice in the
assertion of anti-whaling proponents and stresses that it is the wisdom of mankind
to increase fishery resources by culling whale resources.
At a party to celebrate Prof.
Koizumi's chairmanship on April 7, he said that once he becomes chairman he will
stage a campaign to attract public attention to the whaling issue by first targeting
appeals to women and mobilizing the mass media. He will tackle the whaling issue
with a commitment to save the Japanese people. This patriot seems to have in mind
to hold in check the further degradation of Japanese food life by first challenging
the whaling issue. |
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| The late Mr.Akiyama making a petition to Minister of Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries Takashi Sato for continuation of
whaling.At the extreme right is Dr.Takeo Koizumi.The author is in the center.(December 1987) |
Prepared by Japan Fisheries
Association,Japan Whaling Association.
For further information please contact.Toyomishinko bldg.,4-5
Toyomi-cho,Chuo-ku,Tokyo (TEL)03-5547-1940 |
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