Outrage as Japan plans more whaling

Japan plans to kill two more species of whale in the Antarctic Ocean while doubling the catch of the main whale it currently hunts, a press report said on Tuesday, refuelling the global outcry by ecologists.

Japan would nearly double its annual catch of minke whales, currently set at 440, in the Antarctic and catch the larger humpback and fin whales which are considered endangered by the World Conservation Union, Kyodo news agency said.

The plan would be submitted to the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission opening on May 30 at Ulsan in South Korea, Kyodo said, quoting sources close to the situation.

"We have already submitted the plan but, under IWC rules we cannot discuss details before it is formally presented at the meeting," said an official at the international division of the government's Fisheries Agency.

Japan, where whale meat is a part of culinary culture, reluctantly halted commercial whaling in line with a 1986 IWC moratorium.

The next year it resumed expeditions under a loophole that allows "research whaling," despite protests from anti-whaling nations led by the United States and environmentalist groups which say whales are at risk or that the hunt is cruel.

IWC members reserve the right to conduct research whaling after submitting plans to the world body, which does not need to approve the programmes.

Japan argues that research shows that whale populations are thriving and provides data showing whales are consuming valuable fish stocks - points disputed by environmentalists.

"The humpback and fin whales have been pushed to the brink of extinction because of commercial whaling," said Junichi Sato, a senior campaigner for the Japan branch of the worldwide environment watchdog Greenpeace.

"If Japan goes ahead to hunt them again, it will become clearer still that its research whaling is just commercial whaling in disguise," he said.

The meat from the research cull - about 2-million kilograms annually, according to environmental groups - ends up in supermarkets and restaurants across Japan.

Japan has also hunted whales in the northern Pacific since 1994 under the research programme. The number totaled 330 last year, including 220 minke whales, 50 Bryde's whales, 50 Sei whales and 10 sperm whales.

If the reported expansion plan pushes through, it will be the first time Japan has increased its target species in the Antarctic.

Kyodo said Japan would argue there is a need to increase its target species to analyse the ecosystem of the Antarctic and develop a method to manage whale resources.

Under the envisioned plan, Japan would initially catch about 10 humpback Whales and 10 fin whales and gradually increase the numbers, Kyodo said.

Australia is alarmed about any expansion of Japan's whaling operation.

On April 1, Environment Minister Ian Campbell said a report from Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research had noted diminishing minke but growing fin and humpback populations, foreshadowing Japan's plans.

Campbell said he would push calls for a southern whale sanctuary at the upcoming IWC meeting.