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Japan hit for trying to widen scientific whale hunt
By Jon Herskovitz
1 hour, 11 minutes ago
ULSAN, South Korea (Reuters) - Japan's whaling ambitions were dealt a symbolic blow on Wednesday when the
International Whaling Commissionvoted to urge Tokyo to cut its scientific whale hunt.
Although the vote puts more political pressure on Japan, it will be still able to expand its scientific whaling as the project is not regulated by commission rules. Critics say Japan's program is a commercial hunt dressed up as data collection.
The resolution passed by a majority vote in Ulsan -- a former whaling port in the southeast of the Korean peninsula -- is just one of several dozen passed over the years at commission meetings that have chastised Japan for its scientific whaling program.
"This means that Japan has no moral authority to go whaling in the southern ocean," said Chris Carter, New Zealand's conservation minister.
"It is a statement that a majority of countries at the IWC do not support scientific whaling, which we see as a cover for commercial whaling," Carter told Reuters.
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Japan vows to increase whale cull despite condemnation
1 hour, 18 minutes ago
ULSAN, South Korea (AFP) - Japan vowed to increase its research whaling programme and extend it to two threatened species, despite condemnation by the International Whaling Commission.
The body voted by 30 to 27 in favour of an Australian proposal urging Japan to drop the plan to double its hunt from some 440 minke whales a year and to include both endangered fin whales and humpbacks, listed as "vulnerable".
The vote, however, is non-binding and Akira Nakamae of Japan's fisheries ministry said afterwards "we will implement the JARPA" scientific whaling plan.
Joji Morishita, the head of the Japanese delegation, said he was pleased with the level of Japan's support.
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