Shrugging off possible U.S. sanctions over its expanded whale hunt, Japan threw a party today as a fleet of ships headed off for the Antarctic on a mission to take 400 minke whales over the next five months.
This port on the southwestern tip of Japan's main island bid a rousing farewell to the five-ship fleet — part of the country's much-criticized whale research program — with a brass band, beer toasts and fireworks.
shrug off： 蔑視，擺脫；日本大規(guī)模捕鯨的行為招致了國際社會的一致聲討。
minke whale：小須鯨；日本在五個月內要捕殺400頭小須鯨，可真夠狠的喲。
brass band： 銅管樂隊, 軍樂隊。
“We want everyone to understand that the research we are doing is necessary,” Shimonoseki Mayor Kiyoshi Ejima told the crew and dozens of officials and spectators under tents set up on the wharf.
research：研究活動；捕鯨者把他們的商業(yè)活動美其名為科學研究。
spectator：觀眾，看客。
This port on the southwestern tip of Japan's main island bid a rousing farewell to the five-ship fleet — part of the country's much-criticized whale research program — with a brass band, beer toasts and fireworks.
shrug off： 蔑視，擺脫；日本大規(guī)模捕鯨的行為招致了國際社會的一致聲討。
minke whale：小須鯨；日本在五個月內要捕殺400頭小須鯨，可真夠狠的喲。
brass band： 銅管樂隊, 軍樂隊。
“We want everyone to understand that the research we are doing is necessary,” Shimonoseki Mayor Kiyoshi Ejima told the crew and dozens of officials and spectators under tents set up on the wharf.
research：研究活動；捕鯨者把他們的商業(yè)活動美其名為科學研究。
spectator：觀眾，看客。