A History of Japanese Whaling
In 1987, Japan launched a multi-year research whaling program in the Antarctic, amid many objections from other members of the IWC.
The Japanese Whale Research Programme under Special Permit in the
Antarctic, known as the JARPA program, is planned to continue until 2005-06.
In response to much international criticism of the program, the then-Japanese
Prime Minister, Yasuhirio Nakasone, ordered the Fisheries Agency to
"reconsider its plan to carry out research whaling in the Antarctic Ocean ...
and reduce the number of whales it plans to catch." (The Japan Times, 27
April 1987).
At present, minke whales are the target of Japan's whalers in the Antarctic. Since the program began, a minimum of 241 minke whales have been killed within a year; the maximum number taken in a year is 440. Between the 1987-88 seasons and 2000-01 seasons more than 5,000 minke whales have been killed as part of the JARPA program.
Japan is not the only country to have engaged in scientific whaling. Norway carried out scientific whaling in the years following the decision to suspend commercial whaling, before it decided to continue whaling under objection to the suspension decision.
Japan refrained from taking out an objection to the suspension decision because it was put under political and economic pressure by the US.
Iceland also took part in scientific whaling until 1989. When Japan saw that anti-whaling governments were reluctant to take serious measures to stop Norwegian and Icelandic scientific whaling, it felt safe in continuing to kill whales for "science."
At present, minke whales are the target of Japan's whalers in the Antarctic. Since the program began, a minimum of 241 minke whales have been killed within a year; the maximum number taken in a year is 440. Between the 1987-88 seasons and 2000-01 seasons more than 5,000 minke whales have been killed as part of the JARPA program.
Japan is not the only country to have engaged in scientific whaling. Norway carried out scientific whaling in the years following the decision to suspend commercial whaling, before it decided to continue whaling under objection to the suspension decision.
Japan refrained from taking out an objection to the suspension decision because it was put under political and economic pressure by the US.
Iceland also took part in scientific whaling until 1989. When Japan saw that anti-whaling governments were reluctant to take serious measures to stop Norwegian and Icelandic scientific whaling, it felt safe in continuing to kill whales for "science."
A close-up view of three sperm whales. In 2000, Japan killed five endangered sperm whales in the name of scientific whaling. Photo © IFAW
