International Legal Experts Urge Action to End Japanese Whaling

Today’s report, dubbed the London Report on Illegal Whaling, comes as the Government of Japan prepares to launch its whaling fleet into international waters later this week.  Its dramatic findings add to a growing body of legal opinion sharply critical of Japan’s expanding whaling operations. Since an international ban on commercial whaling was first imposed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986, Japan has argued its ongoing whaling is conducted for “scientific” purposes.
 
The London Report finds Japan’s current and proposed takings of humpback and sei whales as well as other whale species “are for primarily commercial purposes” and “plainly constitute international trade.” Japan has previously announced it intends to kill more than 1,400 whales this year including 100 sei whales and 50 humpback whales, a species protected from commercial hunting for more than 40 years.  
 
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW - www.ifaw.org), which commissioned the independent legal review, says the time has come for decisive action to end Japan’s expanding whaling program.  “Some of the world’s top legal experts have made the case.  Japan’s whaling is not just cruel, it’s criminal.  It is time for the international community to act to end this illegal activity,” said Patrick Ramage IFAW Global Whale Program Manager. 
 
Ambassador Alberto Szekely, an international law Professor who served as coordinator of the London Panel and related expert panels convened in Paris and Sydney last year said “Japan’s repeated assertion that its whaling activities are legal is incorrect and misleading. “Scientific whaling” as conducted by Japan violates international law and should not be allowed to continue.”