Japan firm opens whale meat vending machines to push sales

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — A Japanese whaling operator, after struggling for years to promote its products amid protests from conservationists, has found a new way to cultivate clientele: whale meat vending machines. The Kujira (Whale) Store, an unmanned outlet that recently opened in the port town of Yokohama near Tokyo, houses three vending machines for whale sashimi, whale bacon, whale skin and whale steak, as well as canned whale meat. Prices range from $7.70 to $23. Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after withdrawing from the International Whaling Commission. Conservationists say whale meat is no longer part of the daily diet in Japan, especially for younger generations.