TOKYO - Japan's whaling fleet returned on Friday from its months-long Antarctic hunt in the name of scientific research with a take of more than 300 minke whales, a hunt that prompted complaints from Australia.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 2014 that Japan should halt Antarctic whaling and Japan suspended its hunt for one season to re-tool its whaling programme, including measures such as cutting the number of whales and species targeted.
It resumed hunting in the 2015-2016 season.
The final ships of the five-vessel whaling fleet returned to the southwestern port of Shimonoseki, having achieved their goal of 333 minke whales, the Fisheries Agency said…..
Japan intends to take nearly 4,000 whales over the next 12 years as part of its research program and has repeatedly said its ultimate goal is the resumption of commercial whaling.
Shimonoseki, a major whaling port, is in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's electoral district.
Japan, which has long maintained that most whale species are not endangered and that eating whale is part of its culture, began what it calls "scientific whaling" in 1987, a year after an international whaling moratorium took effect.
The meat ends up on store shelves, even though most Japanese no longer eat it.
Japan has shrugged off repeated international protests, including those from key ally the United States. In January, Australia said it was "deeply disappointed" that Japan had continued its hunt, just days after Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had discussed it with Abe.
Anyone wishing to politely make their views on Japanese whaling in the South Ocean/Antarctica known to the Government of Japan can do so with these contact details:
PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida
Foreign Affairs online comment page:
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry And Fisheries Hiroshi Moriyama
EMBASSY OF JAPAN IN AUSTRALIA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Australia Sumio Kusaka
Embassy of Japan in Australia
112 Empire Circuit, Yarralumla
Canberra A.C.T.2600
Anyone wishing to shop ethically might like to consider avoiding goods/products from:
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