Japan seeks to resume commercial whaling

JAPAN has asked the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to let it restart the commercial hunting of whales amid accusations of a “hostile takeover”.

It wants to kill almost 3,000 Antarctic minkes, nearly five times the current annual catch it is allowed for scientific research.

Anti-whaling groups attacked Japan, saying it was intent on buying its way to supremacy at the IWC, which introduced a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986.

"This is the hostile takeover of the IWC," John Frizell of Greenpeace said.

Susan Lieberman of the WWF claimed astute use of Japan's foreign aid to developing countries had brought the pro-whaling group almost to parity with anti-whaling members in the 57-member IWC.

"We can't delude ourselves that if foreign aid money by Japan is used to bring more countries in, then in the future, they will prevail and delete conservation issues from the agenda," she said.

Tokyo has respected the moratorium on commercial whaling since it came into effect in 1986. However, it now says it wants to catch 2,914 minkes, the smallest of the great whales.

A statement by Japan's Fisheries Agency said this proposed annual quota represented less than 0.05% of the Antarctic minke population, which the IWC scientific committee estimated in 1990 at 760,000 animals.

The leader of Japan's delegation at the IWC, Mr Minoru Morimoto, said: "Minke whales are extremely abundant in the Southern Ocean the population will be able to fully sustain the proposed quota."

But one unnamed source said: "Japan knows perfectly well the commission won't accept its proposal and it has no intention of starting commercial whaling again.

"This is all about showing that the IWC doesn't work, to strengthen Japan's hand in preparing to walk out."