Japan Targets More Whales, Whaling Commission

The international community has condemned scientific whaling through 40 IWC resolutions since 1986. Japan’s new proposal has sparked formal criticism in recent weeks from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, Argentina, Brazil, Finland and other governments. A joint NGO statement released today by IFAW and five other leading whale conservation groups also urges Japan to end its whaling activities.

IFAW experts said the outcome of this year’s meeting was too close to call given increasing efforts by Japan in recent years to recruit countries sympathetic to its position into the IWC. Cameroon, Gambia, Togo and the South Pacific island of Nauru are the newest IWC members, having joined days prior to this year’s annual meeting. “We’re fighting to save the whales and the Commission set up to protect them,” said Dr. Singh. “Japan is moving things steadily in the opposite direction.”