Japan to Push for Small-Scale Coastal Whaling at International Conference

May 29, 04:52 PM

Current Headlines: Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo

[By Takaki Tominaga]

Anchorage, May 28 Kyodo - The International Whaling Commission will begin a three-day annual meeting Monday in Anchorage, Alaska, with Japan seeking the resumption of small-scale coastal whaling.

Japan, one of the three pro-whaling countries along with Iceland and Norway, is expected to request quotas for hunting limited numbers of minke whales in Japan's coastal waters, with the meat and other products from the whales to be used exclusively for local consumption, similar to quotas allowed to some indigenous groups such as Alaska natives.

The proposal would allow whaling communities in Japan to revive traditional and local practices associated with whale meat and to revitalize traditional festivals and rituals, the Japanese government insists.

Japan has tried to get quotas for more than 20 years but has so far been unsuccessful.

At the Conference for the Normalization of the International Whaling Commission held in February in Tokyo, participating pro- whaling countries said there was a "double standard" in IWC policy.

Japan also may seek the adoption of a resolution or recommendation from the IWC to discourage the type of harassment directed against JARPA II research activities during 2006 and 2007, according to the annotated provisional agenda.

Japan stopped commercial whaling in line with the 1986 IWC moratorium but has been hunting whales since 1987 for what it calls scientific research purposes.

At last year's IWC meeting, a symbolic resolution to overturn a 21-year moratorium on commercial whaling passed but fell short of capturing a 75 per cent majority to formally end the moratorium.

It is unlikely that there will be enough support to end the ban during the IWC meeting.

Several pro-moratorium members have been added to the 76-member commission since then, and the anti-whaling bloc is expected to regain the majority again.

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