(JP)Whaling ships return with 440 carcasses

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Whaling ships return with 440 carcasses

 

NAGASAKI (Kyodo) Five Japanese ships returned to port

Thursday morning after completing a research whaling

mission in the Antarctic Ocean in which 440 minke

whales were killed.

 

The fleet's 7,575-ton mother ship, the Nisshin Maru,

with 115 crew members, and the 368-ton No. 2 Kyoshin

Maru, an observation vessel with 20 on board, arrived

at Shin Nagasaki port.

 

Hajime Ishikawa, head of the whaling mission, said at

a port entry ceremony aboard the Nisshin Maru:

" Despite obstruction by (the environmental group)

Greenpeace, we were able to bring back samples and

data. We are confident it will contribute to new

knowledge. "

 

Two observation and whaling vessels, including the

812-ton Kyo Maru No. 1, arrived in Shimonoseki port in

Yamaguchi Prefecture, the venue for the upcoming

annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission

in May.

 

The fifth vessel of the whaling mission, by the

Institute of Cetacean Research, returned to a port in

Hiroshima Prefecture.

 

Japan started its scientific whaling in the Antarctic

Ocean in 1987 to gather biological data on whales.

 

In the mission that began in November, the fleet

caught and killed 440 minke whales, took photographs

and conducted environmental studies.

 

The fleet spotted 2,289 groups of minke whales, the

most found by such a mission, and confirmed the

presence of 5,460 minke whales, according to the

institute.

 

Many governments and organizations worldwide condemn

the expeditions as a cover for commercial whaling,

noting that meat from the whales is later sold in

Japan for consumption.

 

Japan and Norway are seeking to resume commercial

whaling despite a 16-year global moratorium, while

other nations, including Britain, Canada, the United

States, Australia and New Zealand, are strongly

opposed to it.

 

Japan is hosting the upcoming annual IWC meeting in

May in Shimonoseki.

 

The Japan Times: April 5, 2002

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