The Wire

Japanese whaling boats have today begun to head down south to the Antarctica, where they are expected to hunt up to 900 minke whales for the purposes of “scientific” research. Ahead of the hunt, an animal welfare group has called on the Australian government to take a stand against the practice, with new legal advice claiming that the government could mount a successful international legal challenge. Currently Japan is allowed to hunt whales for “scientific purposes” under a loophole in the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. Now under a new agreement, known as JARPA TWO, Japan will be allowed to double its yearly cull to over 900 whales. However, the International Fund for Animal Welfare has commission legal advice from Professor Donald Rothwell, Challis Professor of International Law at Sydney University, which says a successful challenge to the hunt is possible. While the Australian Government today dismissed the possibility of a successful challenge to Japanese whaling, Professor Rothwell maintains that his plan could work. He spoke earlier with Erica Vowles, and gave further details about on Japan’s expanded whaling program. The Japanese embassy in Canberra was contacted for comment and while their officials declined to be interviewed by the Wire, they released a statement which claimed that Japan’s objective was utilize the whale resources regarding abundant species on a sustainable basis. At the same time it said “we are committed to conservation and the protection of endangered species like blue whale”.