The headline for bioethics professor Peter Singer's Jan. 17 article, "Hypocrisy weakens West's whaling protests," was misleading. Any number of other key points in Singer's article would have made for more appropriate titles, such as "Whales cannot be humanely killed." And that's just to start with!

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda recently appealed to nonwhaling countries to be less "emotional" toward Japan's whaling program. But to describe the Jan. 16 boarding of a Japanese vessel by two activists as a "violent act" is in itself overly emotional (and closer to a blatant lie!), as it completely misrepresents what went on in Antarctic waters that week.

It appears impossible for the Japanese public to receive any thorough, unbiased or even half-decent investigative reports regarding Japan's continual misrepresentation of its "scientific whaling." The very fact that Japan must use this "research" lie to achieve its commercial whale catch (the same dark meat I find on sale by Osaka fishmongers) should set alarm bells ringing with the Japanese public. But no. The Japanese government relies on a population that is largely apathetic, apolitical and unused to serious critical dissent.

richard morrison