Demands grow for halt in Japanese whaling

New Zealand said today that it had joined 16 other nations in demanding that Japan halt its whale killing in the oceans near Antarctica.

Senior Cabinet Minister Jim Anderton said the countries, led by Brazil, denounced Japan’s scientific research hunt, which is expected to kill 935 minke whales in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary over the first four months of the year.

He said the countries presented a diplomatic protest to the Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday and planned a second one to the Japanese Fisheries Agency later today.

There was no immediate confirmation or reaction from Japanese government or fisheries agency officials in Tokyo.

Signatories said they were “deeply concerned that the government of Japan intends to more than double the annual catch of minke whales, and to ultimately, include the catch of 50 fin whales and 50 humpback whales” under the whaling program.

While acknowledging that scientific programs are not inconsistent with international whaling regulations, the signatories said Japan did not need to kill the whales in order to study them.

“We strongly urge Japan to join the international community, cease all its lethal scientific research on whales and assure the return of the vessels” currently hunting whales near Antarctica, the note concluded.

Anderton said he was particularly worried over Japanese plans to hunt humpback and fin whales, noting that both are included in the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling list of endangered species.

Joining New Zealand and Brazil in the diplomatic protest are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.