Japan set to ignore court ban on whaling and announce new whaling program
At the upcoming meeting of International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Slovenia Japan will table a proposal for a new whaling program in the Antarctic
This is despite the ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague that Japan’s whaling program breached Japan’s international legal obligations and must be brought to an end.
The case against Japan at the ICJ was brought by the Australian Government who argued that Japan’s whaling program in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary breached international law .
“The sheer audacity of Japan coming back to the IWC with another whaling program is just breathtaking – particularly after the court’s ruling says Mick McIntyre, Director of Whales Alive
The 65th meeting of the IWC takes place in the city of Portoroz in Slovenia from September 15th-18th
The ?? country body is currentely evenly split between pro and anti whaling countires. Japan, Norway and Iceland are the nations practicing whaling, and it is Japan using cash to recruit member countires to vote for their pro whaling practices
“Australia successfully led the campaign to take Japan to court and we must step up again at this IWC meeting ” says Mick McIntyre Director of the Australian conservation group Whales Alive, who has been attending IWC meeting since 1993
“We must simply stop Japan from bring allowed to do this” says McIntyre
Mick is attending the meeting and is available for interviews. Contact Michael Young, 0410 408 492