Japan backs down on controversial whale hunt

JAPAN is dropping its plan to kill humpback whales in the seas off Antarctica, the country’s top government spokesman said yesterday.

Japan decided to suspend humpback hunts at the request of the US, which is chair of the International Whaling Commission, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura.

“The government has decided to suspend hunts of humpback whales while talks to normalise IWC are taking place,” Mr Machimura said. “But there will be no changes to our stance on our research whaling itself.”