Japan is all set to Resume Whale Hunt Activities in Antarctic

Japan has also provided replies to scientific questions and inquiries from IWC members representing each member country to quell suspicions about the validity of its research program. In an attempt to get around the Court’s ruling, Japan has launched a new Antarctic whaling program and also recently sought to exempt itself from the ICJ’s jurisdiction on whaling.

Japan just launched a whaling fleet that could kill 333 minke whales.

SHIMONOSEKI, Yamaguchi Prefecture-Japan’s whaling fleet departed December 1 for the Antarctic Ocean in defiance of worldwide pressure to end its annual hunt under the name of “research” purposes.

“Japan has now withdrawn consent for such matters to be litigated before the International Court of Justice”, he said in a statement. The nation’s Fisheries Agency says the fleet intends to capture 333 minke whales, about one-third of what it used to harvest. However, if they were killing whales in the Australian Whale Sanctuary, we already know they’re in contempt of the Federal Court of Australia through action of the Human Society International. But CNN states that whale meat is a commonly available food in Japan. Since the International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986, Japan has killed more than 10,000 whales.

“They claim they are whaling for non-commercial reasons, but the practice certainly makes no sense economically”. “We believe that all of Japan’s primary research objectives can be met through non-lethal activities and continue to oppose their scientific whaling programmes”, said Russell F Smith, the U.S. commissioner to the IWC.

Here’s why Japan keeps sponsoring whale hunts in spite of stark forces working against the practice. Todd McClay, Foreign Minister of New Zealand, stated that his country was completely against whaling in the Southern Ocean and called the Asian nation to abide by last year’s ICJ ruling. Australia’s Attorney-General George Brandis told parliament that diplomatic representations were being made at “the highest levels” in an effort to make Japan change its mind.

It is worth noting that Japan is well known for its consumption of whale meat and the country is one that commonly offers the meat in many eateries and restaurants.