Australia took Japan to the International Court of Justice to challenge their so-called scientific whaling program and the court.
Last year, the International Court of Justice ruled Japan’s whaling program was not scientific research, as it claimed, and ordered it to revoke scientific permits for the cull.
Japan then produced another plan for their so-called scientific whaling. An expert panel for the International Whaling Commission, which banned commercial whale slaughter in 1986 but exempted killing for scientific research, concluded Japan’s new plan had no basis in science.
Japan now appears set to unilaterally resume Antarctic whaling later this year, after suspending the practice in 2014.
Australia’s environment minister, Greg Hunt, said the government met Japanese counterparts to discuss the bypassing of the ICJ judgment.
“Australia has successfully brought action in the International Court of Justice to stop Japan’s whaling program,” Hunt said. “Japan has previously said it would abide by the ruling. We are taking legal advice on the implications of Japan’s actions.
If we add our voices then hopefully the Australian government will again take action for the whales and maybe Japan will not resume the killing.
