Japan Backs Down from the Hunt

The Japanese government has, for now, backed down on plans to hunt humpback whales in the Southern Pacific Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Japan’s announcement came after strong protests from the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand and a bevy of environmental and conservation groups that the killing (of some 1,000) whales including humpback, minke and fin, under the guise of scientific research was, well, a load of B.S. Non-lethal scientific research techniques provide ample data on whales and Japan has yet to produce evidence that their “scientific whaling research” has yielded any data.

Australia was threatening to follow the Japanese whaling fleet with an armed observation ship to gather evidence to present in a possible lawsuit at the International Court of Justice. The Japanese whaling hunts occur in what Australia considers a national whale sanctuary. Eco-tourism and whale watching are a strong part of Australia’s tourism economy.

Although Japan has claimed no planned hunting of humpbacks next season, they still plan to hunt up to 900 minke whale and 50 fin whales in Antarctic waters. But even the International Whaling Commission has labeled the “research” needless and urged the Japanese government to stop. The “research” is commercial whaling in disguise – and the whale meat actually ends up in supermarket shelves in Japan, even though few people eat it anymore. Commercial whaling is banned under IWC rules.

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Japan Calls Off the Hunt