Anti-whaling nations condemn Japan's plans to increase whale hunt

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Anti-whaling nations condemn Japan's plans to increase

whale hunt

Tue May 7, 9:24 AM ET

 

TOKYO - The United States and other anti-whaling

nations on Tuesday condemned Japan's plans to double

its whale catch in the northwest Pacific and start

harvesting a species it hasn't hunted in more than two

decades.

 

The delegation leaders of 15 nations attending the

International Whaling Commission (news - web sites)

conference in southwestern Japan presented Vice

Foreign Minister Shigeo Uetaka with a joint communique

denouncing the plan.

 

" Our governments consider Japan's actions as

undermining the authority of the IWC, and designed to

undo the decades of progress that have achieved the

substantial level of protection that whales enjoy

today, " the statement said.

 

Other signatories included Britain and Australia, two

of the most vocal critics of Japan's research whaling

program.

 

Japan announced in February it will add sei whales to

its annual whale harvest for the first time in 26

years. The nation's yearly catch in the northwest

Pacific will rise to 260 whales — 150 Minke, 50

Bryde's, 10 sperm whales and 50 sei whales.

 

That compares to the 246 whales Japan caught in the

northwest Pacific over the past two year. Japan also

hunts around 400 Minke annually in the Antarctic.

 

The whale hunt is permitted by the IWC, but opponents

say Japan's research whaling program is commercial

whaling in disguise because most of the meat ends up

in restaurants. Japan began research whaling in 1987,

a year after the IWC banned commercial whaling.

 

The IWC is holding its annual meeting in the

southwestern port town of Shimonoseki, the former hub

of Japan's whaling industry.

 

Japan is pushing hard for a resumption of commercial

whaling. But its campaign is expected to be defeated

because a three-quarters majority is needed for

adoption when the issue goes to a vote at the end of

the conference in late May.

 

Japan defended its plans to expand its whaling program

after the anti-whaling nations presented their

petition.

 

" Including sei whales in the hunt is necessary from

the perspective of fisheries resources management, "

Vice-Foreign Minister Uetaka said in a statement.

 

 

 

 

 

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