Japan May Raise Antarctic Whale Meat Prices JAPAN: April 16, 2008 TOKYO - Japan may raise prices of whale meat to finance the next round of its annual Antarctic hunt after activists stopped it whaling fleet from killing their target number of animals, a government official said on Tuesday. This season's hunt saw a series of skirmishes between the Japanese fleet and anti-whaling protesters. The fleet caught only 551 minke whales, compared with the planned catch of 850. No fin whales were caught, although it had set a target of 50, a Fisheries Ministry official said on Monday.