from abc
TOKYO (AP) - Japan finds itself overloaded with blubber -- too much whale meat after boosting the catch.
The government is trying to entice kids with whale burgers in school lunches and colorful pamphlets singing the meat's praises. But so far, few are biting.
It appears that by rapidly expanding its much-criticized whaling program, Japan now kills more of the mammals than its consumers care to eat. The result is an unprecedented whale meat glut.
One 30-something says whale meat tastes horrible. Some youngsters are put off by the tough texture and pungent smell. Older adults say it brings back memories of post-war poverty.
Japan's Fisheries Agency says some 1,035 tons of the meat hit the market in Japan last year, a 65-percent increase from 1995.
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