Topic: Why do Japanese eat whale?

For many years, Whaling is one of the most prosperous industry of the Japan, the country does not pay any attention to the opposition of the whole world.
From recent development which is held by the U.S, Japan is going to lower its head to reduce the consumption of the meat of whale.
So I want to ask why Japanese like eating whale so much?
One report on the New York Times gives us several reasons, and they seem to be reasonable. The title of the report is "Whaling: A Japanese Obsession With American Roots".
First, after the World War II, since the Japan was poor, and the resouce was not enough, so the U.S urged the Japanese to eat whale which then was of affluence, more and more people began to eat whale, even the students in school were supplied with meat of whales, so at last, eating whale became the tradition of the Japan's food.
Second, the Japanese have the consciousness of the poor natural resource, so they eat whales now to save the natural resources.
And thirdly, the Japan has become a super power, so the Japanese do not like to be told what they should eat!
I do not know above reasons are truth or not, but I know that eating whales when they are going to destinction is not acceptable by the world!